Text: II Thess. 2:1-10.

Introduction:

This is a passage of scripture that we should all be familiar with as we study the prophetic scenario portrayed by the Word of God as to the future. We all have a sense that the return of Jesus is very near. I would not be the least bit surprised if He were to return during the night while we sleep or if he were to come tomorrow. We should not be star gazers but Savior gazers-- looking for Jesus to come back and take his own from this world.

There is another character presented in the prophetic pictures of the Bible- and his name is the Anti-Christ. He is second only to the Lord Jesus Himself. Since the days of Adam over 40 billion human beings have been born upon the earth.

Well over four billion are still alive today as I preach. Many great people have been born who have been very influential and powerful, but the greatest human, apart from the Son of God himself, is the Antichrist or the Man of Sin. He is so great due to his ability and achievement and will one day soon make his appearance upon planet earth.

He is given many titles in the Word of God:

Little horn(Dan. 7:8)

Wilful King (Dan. 11:36)

The man of sin(II Thess 2:3)

The son of perdition(II Thess 2:3)

The wicked one( II Thess. 2:8)

The beast ( Rev. 11:7)--this title is found 36 times in Book of Revelations

His most descriptive title is the Antichrist. That means He is against Jesus. A lot of his spirit is already present in our world today.

In Dan. 7:25 he opposes the most high

In Dan. 11:36 he exalts himself above every God and will speak against them.

In II Thess. 2: He desecrates the Jewish temple that will be rebuilt in Jerusalem and does miracles to seek to prove that he is God.

I Jn. 2:22 He seeks to deny that Jesus is the Christ.

Rev. 6:2 He goes forth to conquer and defy Christ

Rev. 13 :6 He opens his mouth in blasphemy against God.

Many have tried to guess at who he is:

1-Some have said Judas Iscariot reincarnate Jesus did refer to Judas as the son of perdition. One time it is used to refer to Antichrist. Some think Satan has been preparing Judas for some 2,000 years for his future role as AntiChrist.

2-Others Nero

He committed suicide in A.D. 68 in some mysterious circumstances. Rumors went around that he would rise from the dead and lead an army against God's people.

3-Titus

Roman general who destroyed the city of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

4- Domition

Roman emperor on the throne when John wrote the  Revelation.

5- Constantine the Great-

Romans Ruler who declared Christianity to be the state religion in 325 A.D.- He corrupted it with worldliness and paganism.

6-Other said Mohammed

Born in Mecca in 570 A.D. and later became the founder of the Islamic religion.

7-Some thought some of the Roman Catholic popes.

King James was a student of the scripture and believed this to be so.

8-Napoleon, Benito Mussolini, Adolph Hitler, and one of the later ones is Henry Kissinger.

Most people make the Antichrist whoever they do not particularly like. The world is preparing for him to come. The stage is being set for the main character to appear in his leading role over humanity and the world.

 There are many O.T. forerunners for this "Man of sin" who has not yet come to power.

1-Cain murdered chosen seed (Gen.4)

2- Nimrod- created the tower of Babel in defiance of God (Gen.10)

3- Pharaoh- oppressed God's people (Ex. 1)

4- Balaam- attempted to curse Israel(Numb. 23,24)

5- Saul- intruded into the office of the priesthood (I Sam. 13)

6-Goliath- by proud boasting ( I Sam. 17)

7- Absalom- by attempting to steal the throne of David (II Sam.15)

8- Jeroboam-by substituting false religion for the true ( I Kings 12)

9- Sennacherib- by efforts to destroy Jerusalem (II Kings 18:7)

10- Nebuchadnezzar- by golden statue (Dan. 3)

11-Haman- by his plot to exterminate the Jew (Est. 3)

12. Antiochus Epiphanes- defiled the temple ( Dan. 11:21-35).

Epiphanes is probably the clearest of all the O.T. characters who well pictured Antichrist: He ruled 175 to 164. Though he was an OT picture of the Antichrist he is not that person.

1-Was anti-Semitic (hated Jews) slaughtered 40,000 in three days.

2-Nicknamed Epimanes meaning "madman

3- Practiced deceit.

4-Took out rage on city of Jerusalem.(killed Sabbath observers)

5-In 1689 B.C. desecrated the Jewish temple. Put a giant pig on the alter and forced the priests to swallow its flesh and spread the broth from the pig all over the temple. Carried off the sacred furniture.

6- Set up alters to Jupiter and demanded sacrifice.

 However, the Antichrist is yet to come.

 I. HIS PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

A. He will be an intellectual genius.

    Dan. 8:23 will understand "Dark Sentences"

    He is a master mind- super intelligent.

B. He will be an oratorical genius.

    Dan. 11:36 says "He will speak marvelous things against the God of         gods." He will sway people with his speech. Move audiences with speaking ability--MARVELOUS: ASTONISHING OR UNBELIEVABLE.

C. He will be a political genius.

Rev. 17:11,12 says, "The ten kings will give their power and strength unto the beast. He will control a ten nation confederacy, which may involved the European Common Market Nations. He can bring together the peoples of the world.

D. He will be a commercial genius.

Dan. 11:43 says "He will have power over the treasures of gold and silver and over all the precious things of Egypt and the Libyans and the Ethiopian shall be at his steps."

He will have the economic answers for our world. I do not know if anyone living today really has the answers. The politicians say they do, and then when they do get into office, they begin to get committees to solve what they already have presented that they have the answers to, because they really didn't in the first place. Amen?

E. He will be a military genius.

Rev. 6:2 "He went forth conquering and to conquer".

Rev. 13:2 "He was given power, and his seat, and great authority." Spend his resources on military programs.

There is something about him that will command the respect of the nations of the world. He will have such power it will be resist or else receive the mark of the beast.

He will be on the losing side. Armageddon will prove that fact.

F. He will be a religious genius

II Thess. 2: " Shews himself that he is God."

Rev. 13:8 says "All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of Life." He calls fire down from heaven, makes an image speak, and with His wonder-working power will deceive those who do not come to know the Lord. There will be some people saved during the tribulation period but I would not count on it, if you had a clear presentation of the gospel prior to the rapture.

Many present days religionists want to have one religion for the whole world. A Jewish Rabbi once said that "whether the Messiah is a person or an assembly is of minor importance. I believe Messianic times would come if the United Nations were made Messiah."

 Note: If that Rabbi would accept the U.N. as a Messiah, would he not recognize a man who is able to do what the UN has not done, that being to put all of Europe together and brings about world peace?

II. His Powerful Rise

How will he come to power ?

A. The power of Satan

II Thess. 2:9 states: "Coming after the working of Satan with all  power, and signs, and lying wonders." He will have unbelievable power. Do things people have never seen before. A miracle worker can come to great power.

We have even had past presidents to consult the astrologers. Man looks at time beyond himself, sometimes to the dark side of the spirit world. If could hear from them, how could you trust them to tell you the truth? The devil is a liar and the demons have his same character.

Increased interest in witchcraft and the occult is to be characteristic of the days just prior to the revelation of Satan's superman. Satan is the little "g-o-d" of this present world.

B. Permission of the Holy Spirit

Look at 2 Thess. 2:6,7. There is one who is "letting " or hindering and will do so until the rapture of the church. There is a restraining force or better yet a restraining person. He convinces of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. H.S. is God as much as the Father or Son is God. He will have to give his permission.

The Godhead( Father--Son --and Spirit)always agree.

C. Powerful ten nation organization.

They are the ten horns of Dan. 7:7. Horn is a symbol of power. These will be ten of the most powerful nations on God's earth. How do you become powerful in this day?

Not gage power by largest military, but on who has the most money. The richest industrial nations will rule the world and be taken over by the Antichrist.... It will probably be the European Common Market Nations that will give him his power base. They are becoming stronger economically while America is becoming poorer by the day.

As He rises to power, the Man of sin will defeat three of these rulers of those nations(Dan. 7:8,24). That ten nation federation will be the old revived Roman Empire of Daniel 2:40-44. Many of the things concerning the old Revived Roman Empire is still yet unfulfilled. The revived Roman Empire is one of the last of the seven Gentile Powers to plague the nation of Israel. They are referred to in Rev. 12:3,13:1;17:7.

Egypt----enslaved Israel for 400 years

Assyria--captured the northern kingdom of Israel (II Kings)

Babylon--captured southern kingdom of Israel ( II Kings 24-(Iraq equivalent today).

Persia- produced wicked Haman( Iran)

Greece- produced Anticus Epiphanies

Rome- which destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D. under the

Roman General Titus. They will hound Israel in the Revived Roman Empire as never before in all of history (Rev. 12).

D. Participation (cooperation) of the false religious system.

There are well over 400 religions in America and even Satan worshipers exist. Every once in a while in our area of the nation, we hear of activities of Satanist or Satan worshipers. Satan worshipers will surely cooperate with this man. Even organized religion will do so.

Religion says lets just accept anything. We who know the Lord say , if it is according to the Word of God will accept it.

E. Personal charisma and charm.

He will have the leadership of a Washing ton and Lincoln.

The eloquence of a Franklin Roosevelt.

The charm of a Teddy Roosevelt.

The charisma of a Ronald Regan.

The popularity of an Ike.

The political savvy of a Lyndon B. Johnson

The intellect of a Jefferson.

F. Planned resurrection

According to Rev. 13:3 he will be wounded with a deadly wound and his wound will suddenly heal. All the world will wonder after Him. The world can see by satellite. It seems there will be a false resurrection.

Jesus died and rose. Man of sin will seek to imitate Jesus. He will seek to outdo Jesus for their will be no evidence of his wounds after his resurrection or healing.

Would you follow someone who could be instantly healed from a mortal would and rise from the dead? I wonder.

G. Peace program (Dan. 8:25)

"By peace he shall destroy many." It will be a false peace. Wouldn't it be a blessed thing to see peace in the Middle East ? All they have ever known is bloodshed and warfare. He will break his covenant with Jews in middle of the tribulation period.

H. Plan of deception and trickery.

He will have lying wonders. There will be a strong delusion and the people of the earth will believe that Antichrist is God.. They think actually making covenant with God.

Out of 39 occurrences of the words meaning to deceive or go astray, 22 of them belong to passages that deal with the Antichrist and the tribulation.

What will being about this deception?

Ignorance of Gods word. (Err not knowing the scriptures)

Fierce demon activity.( I Tim. 4:1 Doctrines of demons)

The empty soul- Lk. 11:24-26. Jesus spoke of unclean spirits that would take over the empty soul and life. We should fill our lives with Jesus.

III PERSONAL ENCOURAGEMENT

A. Don't despair. God has never lost his power.

B. Keep serving God. Be doing when he comes.

C. Do not be surprised at the downward direction of society.

D. Keep your eyes on Jesus! (Heb.12:1-3)
    That is the only way to survive these perilous times.

CONCLUSION:
Antichrist will surely come.  The spirit of Antichrist is already here in our society.  The false Christ cannot straighten out the ills of this world. That will take the true Christ.  Jesus will return and that day is almost here.  Are you ready?

SERMON BY DR. TOM WALKER
ZION HILL BAPTIST CHURCH- MARION, NC--USA