GRM 220 4/26/1987 The Antichrist Gil Rugh As we consider a matter of prophetic importance I just remind you of what the Bible says about prophecy. In the Book of Revelation Chapter 19 after John had been the recipient of such great and overwhelming truths concerning God’s unfolding plan for the future, he was indeed in awe. God has used angelic messengers to communicate these great truths to John and John is so tremendously impressed with what he has seen that he falls down and worships the angel who gave him the Revelation. And in Revelation Chapter 19 verse 10 we read “and I John fell at his feet the angel’s feet to worship him. And he said to me do not do that. I am of fellow servant of yours and your brethren, who hold the testimony of Jesus, worship God”. Now note this for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. The very heart and purpose of prophecy is the unfold truth concerning Jesus Christ. So our goal and studying prophecy is not to satisfy curiosity. It is not to be current so to speak but it is to gain a greater appreciation of the person and work of Jesus Christ and that is our purpose in looking to an area of prophecy today. As we have mentioned in other studies the next prophetic event is the rapture of the church which is the departure from the earth bodily of every person who was come to believe in Jesus Christ from Acts Chapter 2 down until that event. Following that event there will be a period of about 7 years. We will see references to that in our study together today. That seven year period will be climaxed by the second coming of Jesus Christ to the earth to establish a kingdom over which he will rule and reign. That kingdom is 1000 years and eternal. It is an eternal kingdom the first phase of which is 1000 years. And that first 1000 year period will be the time when the God brings to completion that promised program with Israel and does away with sin and the presence of sin finally so that at the end of the 1000 years sin will be wiped away with no longer be present and we move into eternity with the kingdom still functioning. Now back in the Book of Daniel Chapter 2 is where I want to begin. Daniel was given great insight into God’s purposes and plans for the future and if we put Daniel and the Book of Revelation together we probably have the fullest view of what is going to be unfolding. And Daniel and Revelation work together in unlocking one another’s truths particularly Revelation doing that for Daniel. In Daniel Chapter 2 we have recorded the dream of king Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar is the king of Babylonians. And in a dream he sees a great image. He seeks for someone to tell him what the dream was and what the interpretation is. He probably is reluctant to tell what the dream was for fear they will not give him a true interpretation. There will be no question in Nebuchadnezzar’s mind. If you can tell me what I dreamed you will be able to tell me what the interpretation is? Well no one in the empire is able to tell him what the dream is. All the false religious men come and say well tell us the dream and we will tell you. What it means? Nebuchadnezzar says no deal. You either tell me what my dream is or I will execute relax secure you. Because what good are you to me. If God is going to tell you what my dream means He can also tell you what the dream was. Finally they come to Daniel. Daniel comes and unfolds to Nebuchadnezzar what his dream was. And this begins down in verse 24 where Daniel intervenes and says don’t execute all the wise men in the kingdom. He is going to address Nebuchadnezzar and down at verse 27 Daniel answered before the king and says as for the mystery about which the king has enquired neither wise men, conjurers, magicians nor diviners are able to declare it to the king. However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. I want you to note something right here. If we have time we are going to say some things about the apostate church. But you will note right away Daniel takes no credit for the knowledge and insight that he has. He says this is humanly impossible only God can do this. And God is doing it and what God has done in verse 28 has made known to king Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days. This was your dream and the visions in your mind while on your bed. Then he tells him the dream and there was a great image of a man with different medals comprising the man, the head and the arms and chest and legs and feet and so on. Down in verse 36 that was the dream now we shall tell its interpretation before the king and what happens is each part of this image is an earthly kingdom that will dominate the word and be particularly significant in Israel’s future. Everything in the Bible is concerned about Israel beginning in the Book of Genesis, Chapter 12. So the empires of the world are seen in their relationship to the nation Israel. And he starts in verse 37 “you o’ king are the king of kings to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength and the glory”. Note that Nebuchadnezzar at this point, he says even unbelieving pagan king but the God of heaven has given him the kingdom, the power, the strength, and all the glory associated with that mighty kingdom of the Babylonians. Wherever the sons of men dwell, the beasts and so on Nebuchadnezzar reigns. After, you there will arise another kingdom inferior to you then a third kingdom of bronze which will rule over the earth. Then there will be a 4th kingdom as strong as iron. Now we can trace these kingdoms relatively easily. Daniel says God has unfolded to you coming world history, world history from a preview. Let us begin with the empire that is – Babylon. Following you there will be another empire, the # Persian Empire. Following you there will be a third kingdom, verse 39, which will rule over the earth, the kingdom of Greece. Then there will be a fourth kingdom, verse 40, as strong as iron, the Roman Empire. These prophesies are so specific and so clear and so detail that unbelievers have refused to believe they could have been written as prophecy and yet the word of God is clear on it. Now you will note this kingdom in verse 40 the fourth Roman Empire, the fourth kingdom is stronger than all the rest. It shatters those previous empires. In verse 41 and in that you saw the feet and the toes, that becomes important, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron it will be a divided kingdom but will have in it the toughness of iron mixed as you saw the iron mixed with clay and as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. You saw that the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men they will not adhere to one another even as iron does not combine with pottery. Now note this. And in the days of those kings what kings? The toes we were just talking about. That is the final kingdom here, right? The iron and clay, ten toes the days of those kings, king and kingdom used interchangeably in prophetic scripture. The God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed that kingdom will not be left for another people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms but it will itself endure forever. In as much as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, the gold the great God has made known to the king which will take place in the future. The dream is true. Its interpretation is trust worthy. Now you may believe it or you may not believe it. It is true and you can trust it. Now I want to note something here. Could this have all been fulfilled in past history? Well we know that the Babylonian empire, the Persian empire, the Greek empire, the Roman empire, were all literal earthly kingdoms that is the pattern we are talking about. Well then when we come to verse 44 the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed. I think you have a real problem in trying to make that a spiritual kingdom which will exist only in the hearts of men. That is totally inconsistent. So I would take it that verse 44 has to be talking about an earthly kingdom on this earth which replaces all earthly kingdoms. Has that occurred yet? No. Now what you have keep in mind in Biblical prophecy in the Old Testament is the period of time in which we live from the first coming of Christ to the second coming is never dealt with in Old Testament scriptures. So you go immediately from the first coming of Christ down into the seven year tribulation period, which will be related to the second coming of Christ. So keep that in mind as we read here. That’s why you can jump from the Roman Empire all the way to a yet future time. We say well the Roman Empire is dead, gone and done. Well here we see that the toes, the kings there will be ruling the western world particularly when Christ comes and crushes all empires is partly of iron and partly of clay. From the Bible’s perspective the Roman Empire continues on. That is why we speak about a revived Roman empire. You will see more of these details in a moment. Look over in Daniel Chapter 7. I realize in Daniel Chapter 2 it is never said they were ten toes on that image. So some say you can’t say there is going to be ten kings or kingdoms federated together in that final empire which is iron and clay. There is a strength of iron and the brittleness of clay in that final tenfold kingdom. It is ten toes and you could if you really use common sense it had one head on that image, it had two arms, it had a chest and a belly, it had two legs and then some people say well, don’t say there are ten toes. Well when you get to Chapter 7 there is another vision given. This time Daniel dreams or has the vision. He sees the same thing that Nebuchadnezzar saw. Only now he sees these empires of the world as God sees them as ravenous wild beasts. You know Nebuchadnezzar saw them from a human perspective. They are beautiful. There is a power and an attraction in them. Daniel sees them more form God’s perspective biting and devouring one another and so there on verse 3 four great beasts coming up from the sea different from one another, and the four great beasts, a lion, a bear, a leopard, and then a dreadful beast, non-descript as far as being an animal we can identify. The lion, begins in verse 4, then verse 5, a second one resembling a bear raised up on one side because the middle Persian Empire is raised upon one side because the Persians dominate that empire so sometimes we just call it the Persian Empire although it was an amalgamation of meads in Persian. Verse 6, a leopard verse 7 after this I kept looking in night visions behold a fourth beast that would carry us to Rome again. Dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong, it had large iron teeth it devoured and crushed and trampled down the reminder with its feet. It was different from all the beasts there were before it and it had ten horns, becomes significant ten horns. A horn in scripture often used of a kingdom as well. You see that is part of the fourth beast the ten horns. While I was contemplating, now look, Daniel Chapter 7 is going to take us another step. While I was contemplating the horns, the ten horns, behold another horn a little one came up among them and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it. And behold this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of the man and a mouth uttering great boasts. So now we see the fourth empire Rome moves then to a ten nation or kingdom of lions and now there is going to be one person, one horn one king or kingdom that is going to dominate the other kings and kingdoms in this kingdom. Then verse 9 I kept looking until thrones were set up and the Ancient of Days took his seat, his vesture was white like snow the hair of his head like pure wool, his throne was ablaze with flames, its wheels were burning fire. The description here, the Books were opened. Down to verse 13 I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed. Now no matter what you say about everything up until the coming of the Son of man you have to say that is yet future. Jesus Christ the son of man does not rule over the earth today with a mighty earthly kingdom. He has not set aside other kingdoms. All you have to read the news and you can read different kingdoms or wordily empires that are existing. He has not displaced them. Now everything that has happened in this prophecy has happened literally. There was a literal Babylonian kingdom, a literal Persian kingdom, a literal Greek kingdom, a literal Roman empire. So let us be consistent with our handling of scripture. Then I take it there will be a literal ten kingdom formed of the Roman Empire. There will be a literal domination of that ten kingdom empire by one king or one kingdom. And that will be followed by a little reign over the earth of the mighty messiah. Now my understanding both from history and from biblical prophecy and we will see this in the Book of revelation is the break in this prophecy is between the Roman Empire and the ten nation or kingdom form of that empire. Christ hasn’t come yet. He is ruling on the earth, so has to back up that is yet future. How much of this prophecy is yet future? Well I think the rule of the one man and the ten nation confederacy is yet future. It was yet future when John wrote in the Book of revelation. You might keep a bulletin in Daniel. We will probably be coming back here. But Revelation Chapter 13 I said probably we will be coming back here but time depends is the determining factor whether we will but I hope we can. Revelation Chapter 13. We read this portion for our scripture reading and now having read some of the portions in Daniel I think you will see the similarity. Verse 1 as John saw a beast coming up out of the sea. Revelation 17 tells us the sea represents multitudes of people from all over the world. So it comes out from among the sea of humanity, having ten horns, seven heads, on his horns were ten diadems, on his heads were blasphemous names. Now the ten horns, well that would tie with what we saw on the beast in Daniel Chapter 7, ten horns. It would be the ten toes of Daniel Chapter 2. Seven heads now from this Chapter and Chapter 17 of revelation my understanding is that the seven heads represent seven empires. The heads were blasphemous names of various empires of the world that have opposed Jesus Christ, opposed the rule of God. We had four from Daniel’s perspective. But in Revelation John goes back and he picks up the two major empires preceding Babylon that were significant in Israel’s history which where Egypt and Assyria, that brings us up to six and the ten nation form of the Roman empire, he views as a separate empire. It is a continuation of that empire as you can see because it has ten horns. But John views that as the seventh and he will delineate that force when we get to Chapter 17 because you will view that he ruled by the one man as an eighth empire. So that accounts for the different numbering. Daniel’s only concerned was begins worth where he is Babylon and go to Rome. John in revelation is more encompassing. He takes in all the empires that are significant in Israel’s history and Israel’s future. You see similarity in verse 2 with we had in Daniel 7. The beast is like a leopard feet like a bear, mouth like a lion, the dragon gave him his power the empires of the world empowered and controlled by Satan. That is significant. The dragon gave him his power, his throne and great authority. We just saw a glimpse of this potential when Satan on the mount with Christ of temptation when he tempted Christ showed him all the kingdoms of the world and what did he say? You fall down and worship me and I will give you these kingdoms. Now Christ never said he didn’t have the power to do that. He simply said you should worship the Lord your God only. Not it tells you something about the power and might of our advisory Satan. He rules in the kingdoms of this world. That is why first John says the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. There is demonic influence behind earthly wordily empires. Now ultimately God is in charge and he brings the power to whom he will that fits his purposes. But Satan empowers and enables these. I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain in verse 3 and his fatal wound was healed the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast. I take the beast that is in view is the one we call the antichrist can be identified as the little horn that came up among from among the ten horns in Daniel Chapter 7. He is the culmination and the climax of all earthly empires. So they are all seen tied together in this beast. He will be the ultimate in Satan’s counterfeit to create an earthly empire that counterfeits the empire that Christ will have one when he rules over the earth and his kingdom. Now when you see one of his heads as if it had been slain some take this to mean that the antichrist will receive a fetal wound and miraculously be raised to life. Some of you have studied Bible that has a note on that. And this is where the idea comes that antichrist will be a man in the western world who will be killed and be miraculously raised the life, that is a possibility here and obviously some good bible commentators hold it. However in light of this fact that the seven heads here represents seven earthly empires and maybe I ought to take you to revelation 17. Keep your figure in Chapter 13. Revelation 17 note verse 9. I just wanted to pick up one little section here. Here is the mind which has wisdom. Revelation 17:9. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sits and they are seven kings, five have fallen, one is, the other is not yet come. And when he comes he must remain a little while and the beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven. So you see the development here. I hope you do. You are going to get lost if you don’t. It is very clear in my mind I wrote my master’s thesis on these verses. The seven heads are seven mountains. The mountain is used as a symbol of a kingdom in scripture. Now, you note the seven heads are seven mountains. Go to verse 10 and they are seven kings. So you see the mountains, the heads, their kings or kingdoms. Five have fallen Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece had all past from the scene by the time John writes. One is Rome ruled the world. The other has not yet come. The ten nation confederacy the ten kingdom form of the Roman empires has not yet come. When it comes he must remain a little while that ten nation confederacy will be short lived only 3.5 years to be exact. And the beast which was in his not is also an eighth the little horn that comes from among the ten he will be the eight kingdom. It is different than the ten even though it comes from among this ten nation confederacy if I can call it that right now, from among these ten kingdoms that have united together to form one kingdom. He is an eighth kingdom because he dominates now the world and he will rule for 3.5 years. So these verses together caused me to a take Revelation 13 as a reference to the Roman Empire. One of his heads was wounded as to death indicating that the Roman Empire seems to have died. We live today and say Roman Empire that is dead and gone. We look back and if you study history you look back and see when the eastern part of the Roman Empire ceased to exist? When the western portion of the Roman Empire ceased to exist and now centuries later the Roman Empire is past history. Amazing thing the Bible says it is going to be brought back to life. It will be revived. So I understand this to be talking about the Roman Empire although if it was the antichrist obviously that would be supernatural and bring awe to the world as well. Verse 4 they worshipped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast. You see what happens? They are worshipping the dragon when they worship the antichrist, this political ruler. There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies and authority to act for 42 months was given to him. So no question how long are we talking about? 42 months. How long is 42 months? Three and a half years. The scripture says that is final seven year period after the rapture of the church is divided into two three and a half years segments. For the first three and a half years this ten nation confederacy, this ten-kingdom kingdom will be in power. For the second three and a half years the anti-Christ will was ruled the world as world dictated. That is why he has power to act for 42 months. Three and half years. I take 42 months is literal to make these numbers figurative or allegorical just brings such confusion in. I take it as literal when God says ten he means ten. When he says 42 he means 42 and if we have any doubt He will also call it 12060 days which is one half of a year. 12060 days is three and a half years. 360 days is a prophetic year in scripture. Scripture rounds it off. So when you are talking about prophecy and it gives you days you have to round a year of to 360 days. Keep that in mind. And you can appreciate that otherwise there will be such confusion in adding partial days and everything else in. But anyway 42 months. He opens his mouth in verse 6 in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name in his tabernacle that is those who dwell in heaven. It was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. I note that. He is going to be doing the best to annihilate all believers particularly Jews but all believers during this three and a half year reign and he is going to have power to overcome the saints. That is why they is going to be such tremendous martyrdom during those three and a half years, one of the consequences for not having believed in Jesus Christ before the rapture of the church. People will be saved after the rapture but there will be tremendous suffering and many multiplied millions will give their life as martyrs under the reign of the antichrist. All, verse 8, who dwell on the earth, will worship him. Now that has qualified that means every single person, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of life of the lamb who was slain. All the non-elect will worship of the antichrist. The worldwide worship because it is going to be a worldwide kingdom with worldwide worship taking place. Now you have an over view of what is going on in those 13 verses. The last part of Chapter 13 of Revelation enter another beast. We called him the false prophet. The purpose of this second beast, we talk about the first beast in revelation 13 that is the antichrist, the political ruler. The second beast in Revelation 13 is a religious leader whose function is to direct all worship in the world to the antichrist. So in effect you have a satanic trinity. Satan empowering the antichrist as God the father empowered God the son, and the God the Holy Spirit directing the worship of believers to God the Son so the false prophet will direct the worship of the world to the satanic counterfeit and incidentally it is at the end of Revelation 13, the last verse where you have the number 666 and I don’t have any glorious insights into 666. And I realize there is lots of possibility and quite frankly my files are too full to take in anymore articles on that subject probably. I really believe you won’t know the significance of this number until you get into the tribulation I hope you don t get in to it. But I mean you broadly. Within the tribulation when the antichrist rises to power those who have become believers will read revelation 13:18 and understand the significance of 666 and will be able to identify that man. I really don’t think is somewhere I am now. What the bible has to say it is going to be possible to identify the significance of that number until then. I realize it has been used in a lot of ways and so on. But this will mark him out and identify him and you are not going to be able to identify him until after the rapture of the church we may get to that. Revelation 17. Revelation 17 opens up with some significant and interesting information. There is a picture here. The angel comes to John in verse 1. Come here and I shall show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters. The harlot who sits on many waters and verse 15 interprets that - the waters which you saw, where the harlot sits are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. So the harlot rules over multitudes of people all over the world. The harlot consistent with the scripture is a representative of false religion. The harlot, a whore, a prostitute why because they have turned from the true and living God to be involved with other Gods so to speak. They have committed spiritual whoredom. This is the one, verse two, with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality. Those who dwell on the earth may be drunk with the wine of her immorality. It was carried into by the spirit into wilderness I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast having full of blasphemous names having seven heads and ten horns. Those are the seven heads and ten horns again. This false religion has pervaded these earthly kingdoms. Now we have done studies on this particular section but it is interesting to go back and look at how false religion, and the same characteristics have pervaded each of the empires of the world, and continues down till today. Roman Catholicism will be a dominant influence in this apostate church after the rapture of the church along with the apostate protestant churches that merged together. What we see today breaking down the barriers is not a plus, it is a minus. Well we see in bringing these diverse groups together is a willingness to sacrifice biblical truth in the name of unity. Anything that sacrifices biblical truth to bring about unity is harmful. That will be a characteristic of this apostate church. It is called Babylon the great the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth that is because the roots of this religious system go back into the Babylonian religious system and all kinds of things have come out of that, that we don’t have to time to go into from everything the rosary to praying for the dead to many other things are found in our system. Appalling that we are believers who think there can be adjustments made for such horrible activity. That is the tragedy of the charismatic movement today, much of it. It has no doctrinal foundation and so it able to so called unite believers from protestant view points of all kind to catholic view points of all kind at the expense of what? Biblical truth. Now you see believers getting swept up in that or at least prophesying believers you can understand there after the church is removed the true church at the rapture there will be no problem with this false church coming together. Now that is significant the church here in what we are talking about with the empire, the ten nation confederacy and the antichrist because it will be the church that will help support the antichrist in his rise to power. So you have got to be very interesting in the apostate church today and its political role. Tragedy is well that believers are following the apostate church in its political involvement. Now we think that the solution to the involvement of apostates in the political process is for believers to become political. Now believers I mean the church of Jesus Christ to become political. We are to be the way in confirming to the word of God not following the apostates. The apostate church is political and it will become more political and it is just an indication of the apostasy that is infiltrating the believing church and that we are becoming like that church. You come down. We have to come down to verse 8. The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the Book of life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come. Here is the mind which has wisdom, the verses which we read the identifying of the kingdoms. Verse 12 the ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom. So from John writes the ten kingdoms or the ten kings had not yet come to be. But they received authority as the kings with the beasts for one hour only a brief time here. These have one purpose. Note this. One purpose, they give their power and authority to the beast. So these come into existence to accomplish one thing to pave the way for the satanic counterfeit, the false Christ who will rule and reign. So what is going to happen is there is going to be out of the old Roman Empire, the remnants of that empire coming together again. Of ten kingdoms that will be united and they will have some of the strength of iron form the old Roman Empire. But the fact that there are ten kingdoms welded together they are going to have the brittleness that characterizes clay. So strong brittle mixture we have here. For three and a half years they will be the dominant power in the western world. Out from among this ten nation confederacy will arise one king who will dominate the others and they will come to an agreement that ought to rule and reign and they will support him. And so you are ready for the last three and a half years. So that is the picture here. Verse 14 "These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful." So destiny dictates that God’s plan will be accomplished. Christ will reign. Verse 16 the ten horns which you saw and the beast. Note these will hate the harlot, will make her desolate and naked and will eat her flesh and burn her with their fire for God has put it in their hearts to execute his purpose by giving a common purpose and by giving their kingdom to the beast. You will note it goes together, these ten kings or kingdoms will have a common purpose. They will decide to give all their authority to the antichrist and they will decide to wipe out the apostate church. I think it is significant that it is decided at the same time in verse 17. They will # her at about the same time. Several events are going to take place in the middle of tribulation three and half years along. One of these events seems to be the war with Russia this is described in Ezekiel 38 and 39 where the Russian armies with their allies descend in the Palestine. The seven year period began when the antichrist representing the western world even though, he has not rise to dominant power he is still the leader there signs the agreement in Daniel 9 with Israel guarantying their sovereignty so that Israel lives in peace for three and a half years. A false piece. Russia descends and is destroyed the mountains surrounding Israel with her allies. Allies like the Libya, Iran and others. Now the antichrist is in a position to make his move. He moves into the Middle East according to the end of Daniel 11 beginning with verse 36 into the glorious land Palestine and he is going to establish himself now in Palestine as world ruler. At this point he no longer needs the apostate church. You note in the first part of the Chapter the apostate church was playing a key part with the beast. Now she is being replaced and done away with. Verse 3 of Chapter 17 she was sitting on the beast, what a dominant influence here. Now he no longer needs the apostate church. We can see that. Roman Catholicism wields great power in the world today. It will wield greater power when all believers are removed. Joined with that great force of apostate Protestants you have a tremendous force. They will be an important part of his consolidating his power. But now he doesn’t need them. And so the apostate church is annihilated and all the world is required now to worship the antichrist. Look in 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2. Thessalonians were undergoing such persecution they thought they might be in the tribulation. Paul says not possible. He says don’t be disturbed even though somebody writes a counterfeit letter as though it was from us telling you the day of the Lord is come. The day of the Lord beginning with the tribulation. Let no one, verse 3, deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first. That may be referring to religious apostasy. That may be referring to the rapture of the church the word her simply means departure. That could be referring to the departure of the believers from the earth. Verse 1 is already alluded to that. The coming of our Lord Jesus in our gathering together to him. So he is the one who is possible here. Now note and the man of lawlessness is revealed the son of destruction. So the tribulation will not unfold until the antichrist is revealed. Now how will it be revealed? Well according to Daniel Chapter 9 beginning with about verse 24 I believe we are told regarding that agreement where the prince who was going to come is going to sign the agreement with Israel. Well after the rapture of the church anyone who becomes a believer who recognize that the man who signs that agreement is the man who is Satan’s ruler. So he will be unveiled rather quickly. He may be the man who is instrumental in solidifying this ten nation kingdom following the rapture of the church. Nothing says this kingdom has to be brought together before the rapture. We see things going on that may indicate forerunners of that. I just clipped an article out one of the news magazine this week as an example. Article on NATO and the French you know are not pro-NATO. The French on their own account are seeking to forge a military access with West Germany outside NATO. Its vehicle will be more abound Western European Union, WEU, Western European Union, dying to all intents and purposes, dead entities but Britain could not afford to stand aside if the other two brought WEU to life again as a military alliance. A Western European Union with its own deterrent would be a third force in the NATO-Warsaw pact confrontation of which both of the super powers would have to take account. That would be such a significant military entity that the United States and Russia would have to come to grips with its power. Even these kinds of discussions going on, so does that fulfill the prophecy? No I don’t think so. But you will see the kinds of conversations and discussions going on that is not so absurd to see that possibility in light of the biblical prophecy. Is not it amazing that Daniel 500-years before Christ would write about a ten nation confederacy in the western world out of the remnants of the Roman empire that John writing within a 100 years of the death of Christ would write about 10 nation confederacy in the Western world out of the remnants of the Roman empire and now today we can read in the newspapers about work to bring together a confederacy; whether it is a common market or western European alliance or whatever. Discussion going on in those realm is interesting. The man of lawlessness verse 4 of 2 Thessalonians 2 is the one who opposes and exalts himself about every so called God or object of worship so that he takes his seat in the temple of God displaying himself as being God. You see what happens here. That is why we say the temple has to be rebuild in Israel. Why? Because the antichrist is going to take a seat in the temple in Israel. Can there be any doubt that the temple will be rebuild? It is hard to sit in a temple that is not there. He is going to take a seat in the temple. Evidently when he asserts his power, also we within the framework of declaring himself to be God. We didn’t go and read in Revelation 13 but the false prophet who directs worship to the antichrist will have power to call down fire from heaven. They will make an image for or of the antichrist and call it life. The false prophet will give its sprit. And you have note there he will give it spirit. It is the word used which may indicate that it will be a demonic possession that this inanimate image created of the antichrist will now look as though it has come to life. Who else but God can give life? Therefore worship the antichrist he is God in the flesh and the world will be deceived. Back to 2 Thessalonians goes on to say God will send them a strong delusion that they should believe a lie because they didn’t want to believe the truth. So you don’t want to believe the truth. Here is a lie that you will love and the world will love it. What is keeping all of this from breaking loose right now? It won’t happen until the rupture of the church I am convinced because we are told in verse 6 you know what restraints him now so that in his time he may be revealed for the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. You note that. The mystery of loneliness the heart of loneliness rebellion against God. So the rejection of God in Gods authority is after rule of all loneliness. And what we see so already work in John is there and is pervading the world today. Spreading out through the world of falling I thinks of reading. Reading of this paper this week of someone taking a stand against any kind of censorship over the Book issue that is pertinent. Opposition of that person is you shouldn’t tell your kids what they can read and not read. Rejection of all kind of authority especially what you carry back to their relationship with God. That is why you can’t correct it out here. Because its lawlessness in spirit against God. James will developed this and that manifested itself in always that it is the Holy Spirit who restraints lawlessness. When the Holy Spirit is taken out of the way in his straining ministry I take when the church is removed the Holy Spirit will be present but it will not be present in the church restraining lawlessness as he does now then the lawless one will be revealed verse 8. So all the articles written identifying the lawless. When I take it are exercises in futility. He is a little horn. He is not a significant powerful person that you would identify but he will come to power quickly, following the rapture of the church. He is the one that will be destroyed by the Lord when he comes according to verse 8 and 9. Verse 9 says this is one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan with all powers, signs and false wonders. We see a preparation of that today, everybody is taking about miracles. Turn on your television how many of them waving the Bible who are talking about God has a miracle for you today. And so see the faith and you will get you miracle as though God was for sale. Appalling that we have got believers watching that trash and who get heart palpitation when somebody says something against it. How can you say that? They are doing such good work. Oh really. What about the theology of it? Let us not get nit picky. I don’t want any more nit picky than God is. But you better be careful about being less nit picky than God is because we are moving toward apostasy on a broader and broader scale. All this for what? To remind us that God has everything under control. Terribly things are the lawlessness. Am I glad that there is lawlessness? Am I discouraged with the lawlessness? No. Am I afraid of the lawlessness? No. The disintegration that takes place as a result of the loneliness. Does that cause fear? No. why? My God has everything under control. It is moving right along. He is right on schedule. Lord you realize how bad things are? I think he does and they are not near as bad as they are going to be. What about this for us then as believers what we do we to be doing? We are to be about what he has called us to. You know what happens. The worst things get the more diverted believers get in thinking if we don’t do something, who will? But what is this something that we can do? Present the glorious truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So their hearts will be changed and no longer be lawless. Will society ever be changed? Not until Jesus Christ comes. What do we have? We have a message to invite people to come. Turn over to the closing Chapter of revelation in closing. Revelation Chapter 22. To unfolding all the awfulness of the tribulation period leading up to the second coming. Jesus has nothing to say about changing society. He has nothing to say about that kind of political and social involvement. What he says he offers in invitation to the world to come and you note what he says here. Verse 16 I Jesus have sent my angels to testify to you these things for the churches. You and I are to know this truth and understand it and live by it. I am the root, an offspring of David the bright and morning star. And the spirit and the bride say come. Well, you note that. The spirit and the bride, the bride of Christ as the church of Jesus Christ we are involved in the ministry of exhorting the world that come to Jesus Christ. I am not involved in exhorting the world to change because they have a lawless, rebellious heart against my God. But I am involved in and the church is to be involved in as the ministry, the spirit of God has come. Let the one who hears say come. Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who wishes take the water of life without cause. Now that is the ministry and message we have. How gracious! God should say come, come I invite you to come, come. Verse 20 if he you testifies to these things says yes I am coming quickly. Amen come, Lord Jesus. I am coming quickly suddenly. It seems like boy, yes. These truths they go on and on and on. You not it does not look long when you look back on it as history, doesn’t? Israel waited century after century after century of coming of their Messiah. Will he ever come? 2000-years from Abraham to the coming of Christ that is a long wait. You know the tragedy of it. They were not already when He came. They had failed to walk according to the word of God, to carry out the ministry that God had given them and they were not looking when he came. Tragedy for the church today is we have gotten side tracked and absorbed in other things and forgot He is coming. You know as you and I sit in the glory of his presence and look back I am sure that all the time that seemed so long is going to look awful brief. It is going to look like it did not amount to anything. You know we are going to say you remember when it seemed like we were just grinding it out day by day and we wondered if he could go on, really it was not long, was it? It is like your kids when they were in school, does not seems like schools ever going to get over. They are going to be in school forever and ever. We look different looking at it as a parent. Doesn’t it? You say boy the time just flying by. I tell my kids that and you know it is like a comedy. Time is flying by. Sure and some of you who are older than I am tell me that it is going to accelerate. Now I don’t know why you think it is still 24 hours days 60 minutes hours and so on but it does seem to start to go faster when you are looking back. We need to remember that. Jesus Christ is coming. Are you ready for his coming? Do you really understand that he came before at his first coming to die on the across to pay the penalty for your sin so that you could be ready to meet him so that you could have forgiveness and cleansing, excites me that all that the bible says about judgment, about wrath it closes with an invitation come. We don’t invite you to come. I trust that will be message in ministry of this local church reaching out with the message – come, believe in Jesus Christ. The greatest tragedy to get happened in the world is that you would not believe in Jesus Christ and fail to be ready when he comes. Let’s pray together.