Lesson 413 - Senior

Memory Verse

"The mystery of iniquity doth already work:  only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way" (II Thessalonians 2:7).

Cross References

I Events Prior to the Reign of the Antichrist

1. The falling away must first come, [2TS:2:1-3].

2. The Rapture of the Church will transpire before the antichrist is revealed, [2TS:2:5-8]; [ISA:26:20-21].

II The Antichrist

1. A covenant with the Jews is made and broken, [DAN:9:27]; [DAN:11:30-32].

2. He is a world-wide ruler, [DAN:7:7-8], [DAN:7:15-25]; [DAN:11:21-24], [DAN:11:28-29]; [REV:13:7].

3. He is governed by Satan, [2TS:2:9-12]; Daniel [DAN:8:23-25]; [REV:13:1-6].

4. He exalts himself as God, [2TS:2:4]; [DAN:11:36-38], [DAN:11:45]; [REV:13:8-18]; [MAT:24:15].

III The Tribulation

1. It is a time of trouble, [DAN:12:1-3]; [MAT:24:21].

2. God's judgements are poured out on the world, [DAN:7:9-10]; [REV:16:1-21].

3. The antichrist is defeated, [DAN:7:11-12], [DAN:7:26].

4. Jesus Christ takes the reins of government, [DAN:7:13-14], [DAN:7:18], [DAN:7:22], [DAN:7:27-28].

Notes

The Antichrist

Jesus said: "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive" [JHN:5:43]). This one who shall come in his own name is none other than the antichrist of whom John warns, "Ye have heard that antichrist shall come" ([1JN:2:18]). The Apostle Paul refers to him as "that man of sin," "the son of perdition."

Now we are told that he will come before the day of Christ. That is, he will come and reign before the revelation of Christ, which is at the close of the Tribulation. Let us look at the order of the events as told in II Thessalonians 2.

The Falling Away

First there comes a falling away. Perhaps the greatest display of the falling away has been the departure from the fundamental doctrines of the Church and turning to modernism. Many people hold to the name "Christian" but deny the deity of Christ. They claim to teach from the Bible, but deny the miracles thereof. They acknowledge a "Supreme Being" but substitute Darwinism for the Genesis record of Creation. "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."

The Holy Ghost

Now after the falling away, we read of One who still prevents the revelation of the antichrist. "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [hindereth] will let [hinder], until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed" [2TS:2:7-8]). He who now hinders is none other than the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost who was sent down to earth on the Day of Pentecost and has remained to this day seeking out a Bride for Christ. The Holy Spirit will leave this world with the Bride to present us to Christ at the Rapture of the Church.

"Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast" [ISA:26:20]).

With the Bride safe in God's pavilion enjoying the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, the antichrist is then revealed on the earth. After the antichrist's brief reign the Lord will destroy the antichrist with the "brightness of his coming." This coming will be the revelation of Christ at the beginning of the Millennium.

The Mystery of Iniquity

The mystery of iniquity, which worked in Paul's day is certainly working more strongly in our day. One of the strong delusions that is most baffling today is that of communism. This godless religion based upon the atheistic theories of Marx and Engels promises utopia, but delivers serfdom and abject slavery. It rejects truth as such, and calls anything truth that furthers its cause. "It cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered" [DAN:8:12]). From a standpoint of subjecting people and gaining control over much territory by lies and false propaganda, Communism has prospered and now dominates one third of the world's land surface and more than one third of the world's population. This atheistic philosophy dethrones God and sets up man and so-called science. It promises peace, but advocates violence and bloodshed. This philosophy reduces man from a spiritual being to an animal and condemns to death any who disagree with its tenets. It justifies lying, stealing, immorality, and even murder if it furthers the cause of Communism.

The Man of Sin

Out of a tumultuous sea of political agitation arises one "whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness." This one, the antichrist, is called "that man of sin," literally, the man of lawlessness. That is a good point to remember. Why? Because that is exactly what he is -" lawless. He disregards all law, except what he himself institutes.

So strong is his power of deception, that all the world will wonder admiringly after him. Men will proclaim, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" He speaks great things and draws the world unto himself. His description as a beast is that made up of a leopard, bear, and lion. This would indicate that in his kingdom are manifest some of those qualities that made up the kingdoms described in Daniel 7. The golden splendour of Babylon, the massive power of Medo-Persia, the elegance of art and intellect of Greece, the iron law and discipline of Rome are all combined to make men stand in awe of such a ruler.

"He shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many." Peace and prosperity -- two of the greatest desires of man -- are accomplished by him for a time. "He shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries" [DAN:11:21]). "He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, for his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches" [DAN:11:24]).

The Abomination of Desolation

As we understand [DAN:9:27], the antichrist makes a covenant with the Jews for a seven-year period (one prophetic week). This covenant embraces the right of the Jews to set up their temple on Mt. Moriah, the site of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. The Jews resume their worship with sacrifices being made in their temple. In the middle of this period, the antichrist breaks his covenant with the Jews and "exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God" [2TS:2:4]). This is "the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet" [MAT:24:15]).

To further his demands for worship, we see another beast rising out of the earth, a false prophet, whose office is to convince the world of the deity of the first beast, and to demand that he be worshiped. Though the looks of the false prophet resembles a lamb, his speech betrays the source of his power -" the devil -" "he spake as a dragon."

The Mark of the Beast

The absolute control that Satan has through these two men is shown in the demand for the mark of allegiance in the right hand or in the forehead of each of their subjects. Without this mark one cannot buy or sell; with it he is doomed to eternal hell. "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, . . . and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone . . . and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name" [REV:14:9-11]). "Choose you this day whom ye will serve" [JOS:24:15]).

The Comparison

Satan's triumph through the antichrist is short. From the time he sets himself up as God until the end of his reign is only forty-two months. Compare this with Christ's Millennial Reign on earth for one thousand years, and choose for Christ today. Be sure that your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life, or you will be caught in the snares of the arch-deceiver. "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" [REV:13:8]). Is your name written there?

Though the reign of the antichrist promises peace, no sooner does he exalt himself as God until the Almighty begins to pour out judgements upon the earth. We have but to study the Book of Revelation to see what transpires in this short period of tribulation. "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man" [LUK:21:36]).

Questions

1. Name the order of events before the Millennium.

2. What is meant by the falling away?

3. Where does the antichrist get his power?

4. How widespread is his domain?

5. What happens to those who take his mark?

6. What is the "abomination of desolation"?

7. What are some of the other Scriptural names for the antichrist?

8. How long does the antichrist reign?

9. Where does the antichrist make his headquarters?

10. How is the antichrist overthrown?