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As one man said, "I milk a lot of cows, but I churn my own butter."

Please use these sermons as the Lord leads, but nothing on this site may be used for profit without my expressed, written permission!*   |  *A Biblical View Of The End Times**Sermon #2**Daniel 8:23-27**THE TRUTH ABOUT SATAN'S SUPERMAN**Intro*: To say the least, the Bible is a complex book.

Nowhere is this more true than in the area of prophecy.

Just about every Bible teacher has his on opinion about how things will work out.

What this results in is confusion on the part of the Christians in the pews.

What I would like to do is shed a little light on a few areas of prophecy.

I do not claim to have all the answers, but I am going to attempt to preach about several prophetic themes that are presented in the Word of God.

I would like to try to present these studies in the order in which they will happen on God's prophetic calendar.

Last Sunday, we looked at the Rapture of the Church.

Today, I would like to preach for a while on *The Truth About Satan's Superman*.

This sermon will focus on the life and work of the person who is known as the Antichrist.Why a series on prophecy?

Because many in our modern churches do not know what lies ahead.

Because many all around us need to prepare for the coming of the Lord.

Because the time is short and we need to hear the truth.Some 40 billion people have lived on the earth since Adam was created in the Garden of Eden.

Since that time, the world has witnessed the advent of many talented, intelligent and powerful people.

However, none of these who has ever lived is able to match this man who will known as the Antichrist.

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 literally be Satan's Superman.

Let's see what the Bible says about him.I.

V. 23 *THE APPEARANCE OF* *SATAN'S SUPERMAN*(Our text tells us that in the end times, a fierce king will stand up.

But, 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*".

I am certain that no man knows exactly who the Antichrist is or exactly when he will appear, but the Bible does tell us that there are certain sings that accompany his appearance.

It is these signs that I would like to look at for a few minutes.){{{"

A. *The Condition Of The World* - when this man makes his entrance, the world will be in a terrible moral condition.

This is evidenced by two passages that make reference to the end times, *Luke 17:26-27; 2 Tim.

3:1-5.*

It is easy to see that our world already bears the marks that suggest a fulfillment of these conditions.

It is my conviction that the world itself is ready for Satan's Superman to appear.B. *The Corruption Of Religion* - *2 Thes.

2:3* tells us that the Antichrist will appear during a time of a religious apostasy, which the Bible calls "*a falling away*."

This refers to a time when organized, visible religion will depart from the doctrines of the Word of God.

Since the New Testament was written for and about believers, it makes since to conclude that this falling away will be apparent in churches and denominations which operate under the umbrella of Christianity.

(Ill.

I hope everyone understands that just because a church or denomination calls itself a Christian work, that does not truly make it so!

In fact, the days in which we live are marked by a rapid departure from the foundational truths of Christianity.

There was a time when, if a man said he was a Christian, you pretty much knew what he believed.

There might have been a few doctrinal difference, but for the most part, this person believed in the virgin birth of Christ, the substitutionary death and resurrection of Christ, the return of Christ, the fact that the Bible is the Word of God.

In other words, a Christian was a person who was in a personal relationship with Jesus and accepted all that the Bible teaches concerning Him and His work.

Now, however, things have changed!

A person may deny the virgin birth and still claim to be a Christian!

A person may call themselves a Christian and cast doubt on the accuracy of the Bible.

A person may doubt that Jesus really died and rose from the dead and still claim they are saved.

Something is wrong with this picture!

We are living in the midst of a "*great falling away*!" Cults are growing by leaps and bounds while genuine Christianity consistently finds itself under the gun from society, government and organized religion.)(Ill.

Just this summer the Southern Baptist Convention took steps to remove from their doctrinal statement any room for liberals and modernists to wiggle.

This move brought cries of protest from the world and from the liberal crowd within the convention.

This is just another indication that the tide is swiftly turning against those who believe the Bible and who know Jesus Christ.)(Ill.

When denominations have to take votes on whether to marry homosexuals, or to allow homosexuals to be ordained, something is wrong!

There are things that are nailed down so firmly in the Word of God that there should never be a question about them.

However, we are seeing every major doctrine under attack.

We see churches and denominations turning away from the truth with alarming speed.

Truly we are in the midst of apostasy!)(Ill.

If this is the case, then what hinders the Antichrist from appearing at any moment and what keeps the Tribulation from starting?

There is one event that must take place before the Antichrist can be revealed and before the Tribulation Period can commence.)C.

*The Completion Of The Church* - *2 Thes.

2:6-7* - These verses teach us the truth that the church must be removed before the Antichrist can be revealed.

Verse 6 tells us that there is something that "*withholdeth*".

Verse 7 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, verse 7, that the spirit of Antichrist is already at work.

That is why we can see the evidence all around us.

However, there are two 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.

However, one day, both of these forces will be removed!

When?

At the Rapture!(Ill.

It is worthy to note at this point that the Tribulation is not for the church!

It is called, "*the time of Jacob's trouble*", *Jer.

30:7*.

It was told to Daniel that the Tribulation was a time for Israel, *Dan.

9:27*.

The Tribulation Period is also known as a "time of God's Wrath.",

*Rev.

6:16-17; Rev. 16:1*.

The Bible clearly teaches that God's children have been saved from wrath through Jesus, *Rom.

5:9*.

One of the greatest proofs that the church will not se Tribulation is Christ's promise to the church at Philadelphia, *Rev.

3:10*, "*Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.*")(Ill.

There are some who would tell us that the church will go through the first 3½ years of the Tribulation.

However, to believe this view, you have to believe that many of the Lord's prophecies to Israel also apply to the church.

The fact of the matter is, if you interpret the Bible literally, you have to believe that the church leaves this world before the Tribulation Period.)}}}

II.

V. 23b *THE ABILITIES OF* *SATAN'S* *SUPERMAN{{{"

A. *He Will Be A Man Of Popularity* - *Rev.

6:2* tells us that this man will be "*given a crown*".

That is, the peoples 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 Lincoln2.

The Eloquence of a Franklin Roosevelt3.

The Charm of a Theodore Roosevelt4.

The Charisma of a John F. Kennedy5.

The Popularity of a Dwight Eisenhower6.

The Political Savvy of a Lyndon Johnson7.

The Intellect of a Thomas JeffersonMy friends, whether we will admit it or not, the world stage is set for the appearance of such a man!