28. The Antichrist
Revelation Series 2026 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Daniel 8:23–27 “And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. 24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. 25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. 26 And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days. 27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king’s business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.”
As we continue to move through the book of Revelation, we have encountered terrifying scenes and some amazing characters.
For the next few weeks our attention will be focused on an individual know as the Antichrist.
In the time since Adam was created in the Garden of Eden. The world has witnessed the advent of many talented, intelligent and powerful people.
But, there is one coming that will stand head and shoulders above the rest of humanity.
He will be powerful, deceitful, intelligent, brutal, ruthless and efficient.
He will represent the pinnacle of all that man can achieve apart from God.
He will be empowered by Satan and he will wreak havoc in this world.
So, before we move further in our study of Revelation, I want to talk to you about the man known as
"the son of perdition"; "the man of sin", 2 Thes. 2:3;
"the beast", Rev. 13;
"that Wicked', 2 Thes. 2:8;
"the Antichrist', 1 John 2:18.
Let's take our time today to examine this awful, awesome man who will dominate our world some day soon.
I. LETS LOOK AT HIS COMING
I. LETS LOOK AT HIS COMING
Daniel 8:23 “And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.”
What are the signs of his appearing?
Can men know when this man will appear? The answer to that question is both "Yes" and "No".
No man knows exactly who the Antichrist is, or exactly when he will appear, but “yes” the Bible does tell us that there are certain signs that accompany his appearance.
Let's look at these signs.
A. The Condition Of The World- When this man makes his entrance, the world will be in a terrible moral condition. We See this in two places
According to
And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
B. The Condition Of Religion - 2 Thes. 2:3 tells us that the Antichrist will appear during a time of a religious apostasy, or "a falling away'.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
1. Falling away from Gods rules
2. Falling away in church faithfulness
3. Falling away Godly living
C. The Condition Of The Church -
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
These verses teach us the truth that the church must be removed before the Antichrist can be revealed.
v6 tells us that there is something that "withholdeth".
v7 says that there is One Who "letteth". The two words are translated from the same Greek word and both mean "to hinder''.
The Bible tells us in v7 that the spirit of Antichrist is already at work. That is why we can see the evidence all around us.
Still, there are 2 forces that hinder him from stepping onto the stage and making his presence known. What are those two hindrances? The Church and the Holy Spirit!
The work of the Spirit in convicting and judging the hearts of men is a tremendous retraining force in the world, John 16:8-11.
The Spirit's work in filling the Church to stand against the tide of evil is also a great hindrance to the work of the spirit of Antichrist. One day, both of these forces will be removed! When? ....At the Rapture!
II. LETS LOOK AT HIS CHARACTER
II. LETS LOOK AT HIS CHARACTER
A. ANTICHRIST Will Be Popular - Rev. 6:2 tells us that this man will be "given a crown".
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
That is, the people of the world will embrace him as a godsend. No doubt this man will arrive on the scene with a workable formula for world peace. He will have a viable explanation for the disappearance of the Christians. He will embody all the world has ever looked for in a leader.
It is said that the Antichrist will possess:
1. The Leadership of a Washington or a Lincoln
2. The Eloquence of a Franklin Roosevelt
3. The Charm of a Theodore Roosevelt
4. The Charisma of a John F. Kennedy
5. The Popularity of a Dwight Eisenhower
6. The Political Savvy of a Lyndon Johnson
7. The Intellect of a Thomas Jefferson
The world stage is set for the appearance of such a man! He will be popular!
B. ANTICHRIST Will Be Peaceful - Rev. 6:2 tells us that when he appears, he will be like one riding a white horse.
1. white horse- gives him the appearance of good.
2. a bow, but no arrows. This indicates that he will not come making war, but will come making peace.
3. Peace treaty- This is proven by what Daniel saw in Dan. 9:27. It seems this man will make a 7 year peace treaty with the nation of Israel.
And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
- Our world is looking for such a leader. The world is tired of war!
- Economies are in need of help and people want to prosper and dwell in peace and safety.
The world will readily embrace a man with a message of peace.)
C. ANTICHRIST Will Be Prosperous - Dan. 11:43; Rev. 13:16-17.
The Antichrist will eventually control the wealth of the world. He will bring prosperity to those who have lived in poverty. I am convinced that the Antichrist will bring an end to world hunger.
That he will do away with much of the class distinction that exists in our world. That most people under his reign will be better off financially that they were before he rose to power.
This is one area of this rule that will bring him lasting success. People like to prosper!
Just look at America! Americans will vote for anyone who they think can offer them financial prosperity. A world leader who can promise and produce prosperity will be a very popular man!
D. ANTICHRIST Will Be Powerful - Rev. 13:7-8 These verses tell us that Antichrist will eventually rule the entire world.
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Conquerors down through the ages have sought this lofty goal without success. He will achieve it! What men won't recognize, or won't care about is the fact that he receives his power from Satan himself, Dan. 8:24. He will become so large in the eyes of humanity that they will literally worship him as their god.
All of this will be true of him in the beginning of his reign. However, in the middle of the Tribulation, this man of peace and prosperity will show his true colors.
III. LETS LOOK AT HIS CORRUPTION
III. LETS LOOK AT HIS CORRUPTION
A. He Will Attack God’s People - Dan. 7:25 The Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel and will attack the people of the Lord.
And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
He will try to do what Hitler, Stalin and others failed to do: exterminate the Jew.
More than anything, this man will hate everything having to do with God and Jesus Christ. He will lash out at the Jews and try to completely destroy them.
We are seeing this spirit at work in our world today! THE WORLD IS AGAINT god
B. He Will Attack God’s Prince - Dan. 8:25 - Here, we are told that he will stand up against the "Prince of Princes."
And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.
This is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ!
It appears that anything having to do with godliness, holiness or Christ will be the focus of the attacks of this madman.
While he is doing this, the Lord will raise an army of young, Jewish men, 144,000 in all, who will go throughout the world preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, Rev. 14.
The Antichrist will be powerless to stop them! Aren't you glad that even in the midst of Chaos, God is still on the throne?!
C. He Will Attack God’s Place - Dan. 8:25; Dan. 11:36-37; Dan. 9:27; 2 Thes. 2:4; Matt. 24:15 -
All these verses tell us that the Antichrist will break his 7 year covenant with the Jews.
That he will attempt to wipe Israel from the map and that he will enter the newly constructed Temple in Jerusalem, walk into the Holy of Holies and set up his throne. He will declare himself to be God and he will demand worship from all the people, but especially the Jews. He will desecrate their Temple. The Jews
The passage we read as our text today was directly fulfilled by a man named Antiochus Epiphanes.
a. He was a Syrian.
b. He came to the throne in 175 B.C. and ruled until 164 B.C.
c. He was anti-Semitic to the core. He assaulted Jerusalem, murdering over 40,000 in three days, and selling an equal number into cruel slavery. It is thought that on September 6, 171 B.C., he began his evil actions toward the Temple.
d. On December 15, 168 BC, his Temple desecration reached its ultimate low, for on that day this idolater sacrificed a giant sow on an idol altar he had made in the Jewish Temple.
He then forced the priests to swallow its flesh, made a broth of it, and sprinkled the entire Temple. He finally carried off the golden candlesticks, table of shewbread, altar of incense, various other vessels, and destroyed the sacred books of the Law.
A large image of Jupiter was placed in the Holy of Holies.
All this was termed by the horrified Jews as "the abomination of desolation", and is referred to by Jesus in Matthew 24:15 as a springboard to describe the activities of the future antichrist.
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
IV. LETS LOOK AT HIS CRUSHING DEFEAT
IV. LETS LOOK AT HIS CRUSHING DEFEAT
A. It Will Be Sudden - Dan 8:25 says that the Antichrist will be "broken without hand'.
“… shall be broken without hand.”
This means that the Antichrist will be defeated, but not by man!
His kingdom will be over thrown, but it will be a supernatural defeat. This is made even clearer by Rev. 19:20. When God judges this man, He will do it swiftly and harshly. Defeat is certain for the Antichrist.
B. It Will Be Serious - Notice that Rev. 19:20 says that Antichrist will enter the Lake of Fire alive!
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Then, 1,000 years later, Satan himself is judged and condemned to the Lake of Fire. When he is thrown in, the Bible tells us that the Beast is still there, Rev. 20:10.
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
In spite of the man's abilities, in spite his power, in spite his greatness, in spite of the fact that he received the worship of men, he is still defeated.
All the while he was ruling the world in great power; he was nothing more than a puppet in the hand of God. He was merely a pawn fulfilling a divine purpose. The Antichrist, like so many others found himself on the wrong side!
Which side are you on today?
Are you in line with the Word of God?
Have you trusted Jesus as your personal Savior?
If so, you will never see the Antichrist in this world. If so, then you will be in Heaven, in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ while the world writhes under tribulation.
If not, then you need to be saved!
You are on the wrong side! If the Lord doesn't come in your life time, you will die and go to Hell if you don't get right with God.
If He does come and finds you lost, you will enter into the Tribulation and you will probably give your worship to the Antichrist, 2 Thes. 2:12. Where do you stand today?
Conc: Jesus is coming and the world is poised to enter a time of trouble like nothing it has ever experienced before.
What happens to you all depends on what you do with Jesus Christ. I invite you to come to Him today and be saved. If you are saved, I would ask you to look at you life to see if you are pointing men to Jesus or away from Him by the life you live.
