THE APPROACHING ANTICHRIST
By Dr. David L. Cooper
Biblical Research Monthly
October, November, December, 1957
(A series of radio messages, KXEL, Des Moines, Iowa)
Installment one
I. THE TEXT OF THE BIBLE: Genesis 3:14,15
Friends, this message is the first in a series that I shall bring to you on the Antichrist. I wish to begin with Genesis 3:14, 15. This verse is the text of the Bible. Everything else in the Scriptures is but the unfolding of this majestic utterance of the Almighty to the serpent: "And Jehovah God said unto the serpent, because thou hast done this, cursed art thou above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life; and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."
Our concern at the present is with the latter part of this prediction, which foretells a battle royal. God says that He will put enmity between the serpent and the woman and between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman.
Are we to understand that this declaration was made simply to a snake, or are we to interpret it in the light of other utterances which prove beyond reasonable doubt that a sinister being had used the literal serpent as his dupe and that God addressed this prediction to him?
Furthermore, does this declaration refer simply to an age-long conflict between the forces of good and evil or to one great and mighty combat between two personalities who champion the causes of good and evil?
II. "THE SEED OF THE WOMAN"
To find he answer to these questions we need to study closely the expression "the seed of the woman." The historical portions of the Scriptures show that the line of descent was always reckoned through the male and never through the female. In fact, nowhere else in the Scriptures are the terms "seed of the woman" and "her seed" used. Obviously their use here has special significance and indicate something out of the ordinary. Why did the Almighty refer to the one as the seed of the woman? There can be but one answer. This one is not of the seed of man, but is literally the seed of the woman. The use of the expression, therefore, connotes the supernatural.
A passage which especially throws light upon this marvelous utterance is Isaiah 7:14: "therefore the Lord, himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."
In making this prediction to the house of David of the birth of a child by a virgin, Isaiah assumed a knowledge and acceptance of such an expectation. Otherwise he would have explained what he meant instead of taking for granted that his audience understood the import of his words. The passage, therefore, is a clear prediction of the miraculous conception and virgin birth of the One called Immanuel, or "God is with us," referred to in Isaiah 9:6: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Literally translated, the latter part of this verse reads: "… and one shall call his name Wonderful, Counsellor, God Hero, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." The words Mighty God which I translated as God Hero literally mean "God who is a hero in battle." Both in Psalm 45 and 24, the Messiah is called the "Mighty One," or "Mighty Hero."
Everyone familiar with the New Testament account of the Lord Jesus and the predictions therein immediately recognizes Him as the fulfilment of this prophecy. He displayed his lamb qualities when He was here on earth, but will exercise his lion qualities when He appears again, at the end of the Tribulation, because He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, as we see in Revelation, chapter 5.
III. "THE SEED OF THE SERPENT"
Having seen who is "the seed of the woman," let us now identify "the seed of the serpent." That this expression cannot be taken literally is obvious to every thinking person, because such a crass conception is ridiculous in the extreme. Many passages in the Prophets and in the Psalms refer to this one who will come into mortal combat with and be overcome by the seed of the woman. In theological terms he is called the Antichrist, because he presents himself to the world as its deliverer and as the opponent of Christ, or the Messiah, the Redeemer of Israel.
The final combat between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, who is the son of perdition and the man of sin, is depicted in II Thessalonians, chapter 2. In speaking of the Antichrist, Paul declares that his coming is according to the working of Satan, or—literally translated—to the energizing of Satan. He will present himself to the world, offering as his credentials "all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish" (vv. 9,10).
But why is the Antichrist called "the seed of the serpent?" Like the expression "the seed of the woman," this term has special significance and connotes the supernatural. The reason that the Antichrist is thus designated, I believe, is found in Revelation, chapters 13 and 17. There we read of the Roman Empire in its final stages over which the Antichrist reigns. In the third verse of chapter 13, we learn that the beast there described, or rather one of his heads, which is the last one, receives a death-stroke, from which he is healed. This passage in the Revised Version, 1901 edition, reads: "And I saw one of his heads as though it had been smitten unto death; and his death stroke was healed: and the whole earth wondered after the beast."
This rendering implies that the beast had received a blow on the head so terrific that it ordinarily would have proved fatal, but in this case did not. But what is the significance of John's term "as though it had been smitten unto death"? When we look at Revelation 5:6, we find that John speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ as a "Lamb standing, as though it had been slain." In the purpose of God, He was slain before the foundation of the world for the redemption of man. In reality He was executed when He was on earth more than 1900 years ago. After three days He was raised from the dead—His death-stroke was healed.
John himself in Revelation 5:12 and 13:8 speaks of Christ's having been slain. It is clear, therefore, that his reference to the Lamb standing "as though it had been slain" is a symbol of the Lord Jesus, who died and after three days was raised from the dead. Similarly then the phrase describing the appearance of the head of the beast "as though it had been smitten unto death" refers to the slaying of the Antichrist and his being raised from the dead. This assassination will occur in the middle of the Tribulation, as we shall see in this series of studies. That the slaying of the beast is a prediction of the slaying of the Antichrist is clear from the fact that the mark and number of the beast is the number of a man, and individual, the world dictator.
Reference is also made to his assassination and his coming back to life in Revelation 17:8: "The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into perdition." That this passage refers to the Antichrist is proved by the fact that, when the world sees that he has come back, it is amazed and follows him. The passage could not refer to the resurrection of some kingdom or empire that once existed, then ceased to be, and finally came back to national life. Various nations have had such a history. Such political developments would not cause people to wonder, become amazed, and follow the leader of a revived nation. But when we realize that John is telling of a man who is actually killed, who comes back to life, and who performs all the supernatural feats recorded of him, we can understand how the world will follow after him. Since the Antichrist is restored to life by Satanic power and is energized by him, he can more appropriately be called "the seed of the serpent." For it was by using a serpent as a dupe that Satan brought about the fall of man and caused God to make the declaration recorded in Genesis 3:14, 15.
A study of Revelation, chapter 19, shows that the Antichrist, raised from the dead and inspired by Satan, and puffed up with pride, which is also of Satan, will believe that he can win a victory over the Lord Jesus at His Second Coming. He will, therefore, marshal a world army and go to Jerusalem to war on the Lord Jesus. But the omnipotent Lord Jesus will slay the Antichrist and will cast him and his aids, the false prophets, into the lake of fire. Satan will then be bound and cast into the pit of the abyss. And Christ will establish His reign of righteousness upon the earth. Thus the battle royal between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent will culminate human history through the triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ.
IV. PORTRAITS OF THE ANTICHRIST
Having identified the Antichrist as the seed of the serpent, who, as his name implies, is the opponent of Christ, let us now examine the portraits of this dread person. Daniel, Paul, and John, with the infallible accuracy of the Holy Spirit, have each painted a portrait of this monstrous tool of Satan. In each instance he appears as a world dictator.
1. Daniel, Chapter 7
Daniel, in chapter 7 of his book, depicts the Antichrist as a little horn upon the head of the beast in the second vision. This beast, as we learn, is a symbol of the Roman Empire. Upon its head are ten horns, each of which indicates a king. Among these ten horns, this dread little horn appears. After a time, he puts down three of them and rules the rest with an iron hand. For a time, times, and half a time, the entire world is at his mercy. He continues his tyranny until the judgment is set, when his dominion is taken from him and he is cast into the fire.
2. Daniel, Chapter 8
In chapter 8 Daniel gives a second glimpse of the Antichrist under the symbolism of "the great horn of the he-goat." A great he-goat, with a large horn, comes from the west and with the first stroke kills a ram standing by a river. This vision primarily foreshadows the clash between Greece and the Medo-Persian Empire. But in verse 19 we find: "And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the latter time of the indignation; for it belongeth to the appointed time of the end." From this statement we see that the vision signified not only the historical conflict between Greece and Medo-Persia, but also the complete and perfect fulfillment of the prophecy concerning a conflict in the latter part of the indignation in the end time. This second significance is emphasized in verses 23 and 24. The great horn of the he-goat symbolizes a "king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences," who shall "destroy the mighty ones and the holy people." By flattery he will advance and magnify himself. He will "stand up against the prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand" at the very end of this time of indignation. From this description it is evident that he is the world ruler of the end time.
3. Daniel 11:36-39
Daniel gives a third portrait of this dreaded dictator in chapter 11:36-39. Here he is depicted as the king who "shall do according to his will," exalt himself and magnify himself above every god," and "shall speak marvelous things against God of Gods." He prospers to the very end of the Tribulation. He does not regard the gods of his fathers nor the desire of women nor any god. The term the desire of women probably refers to the Messiah, as the great desire of the Jewish women was to bear the Messiah. Thus the Antichrist will make himself a god and demand that he, and he alone, be worshipped. His own god will be brute force. The normal man reveres and adores his Creator: but this monstrosity, the Antichrist, will worship the god of brute force and aggression.
4. II Thessalonians, Chapter Two
In II Thessalonians, chapter 2, the Apostle Paul paints his portrait of the Antichrist as "the man of sin" and "the son of perdition." Doubtless Paul used these names for the Antichrist because of the sinful, and willful, lawless career that he will pursue and because he is destined for perdition.
Paul says that the day of the Lord, or the Tribulation, will not come until two events have transpired: the great apostasy and the revealing of the man of sin. This statement shows that the identity of the man of sin will become known before the Tribulation breaks forth upon the world.
In verse 4 Paul describes the Antichrist by telling us what he does. This man of sin is
he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God." This passage is an echo of Daniel 11:37: "Neither shall he regard the gods of his father, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall magnify himself above all." Paul, therefore, is obviously talking of the same one of whom Daniel spoke.
But when will this world dictator launch his antireligious campaign, putting all existent worship under the ban and demanding that all men worship him? In Daniel 9:27, we learn that he will exalt himself in the middle of the Tribulation. Paul, also, is speaking of the middle of the Tribulation in II Thessalonians 2:4 and 8,—please note that I said verses 4 and 8, for the intervening verses are a parenthesis. Here we learn that, when the Antichrist opposes all worship and demands that he alone be accepted as divine, his lawless and satanic character will be revealed.
He will take off his mask, and men will for the first time discover his real character. At that time he will stage the greatest demonstration of superhuman power that the world has ever seen. As we see in verse 10, this demonstration will be "for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." The Antichrist will thus gain the love and adoration of all except those who receive the truth—the Tribulation saints. They will not believe the lie, because they will have the truth.
5. I John 2:18
For the portrait of the Antichrist painted by the Apostle John, let us turn to I John 2:18. Here we find that the spirit which will animate the Antichrist has stirred many rebellious, lawless ones. Hence John calls them antichrists. But THE Antichrist is yet to come. John paints a clear, definite portrait of him in Revelation, chapter 13. The Apostle borrows the imagery of the beast vision in Daniel, chapter 7, and speaks of the mark and the number of the beast as the mark and number of a man, not a system. As we have already seen in our study of the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, this man receives a death stroke, but is healed. This unusual occurrence causes the whole earth to wonder after the beast and to worship the dragon, who gives his authority to the beast. The people exclaim, "Who is like unto the beast? And who is able to war with him?"
V. THE REIGN OF THE ANTICHRIST
As we have also seen, the Antichrist will be energized by supernatural power, for his coming is according to the working of Satan with all signs and lying wonders and miracles. To him will be given authority over every "tribe, and people and tongue and nation." There will be no group of people upon the face of the globe that will not be incorporated into his world-wide empire. He will rule all people with diabolical severity and coerce them to worship him as God. For three and a half years, that is from the middle of the Tribulation to the end, he will hold supreme power. Then his career will be climaxed by the personal appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ.
VI. THE OVERTHROW OF THE ANTICHRIST
Thus Daniel, Paul, and John clearly depict the Antichrist, the coming world leader. He will be energized and possessed by Satan himself, and he will receive all his authority and power from Satan. But when the Lord Jesus Christ appears, He will vanquish the Antichrist. Hence in the Tribulation will be completed the cycle which Satan began in his arrogance, pride, haughtiness, and rebellion against the Almighty and which many rulers have carried on since. The reign of the Antichrist will complete the circle of Satan's machinations against God. The seed of the woman will vanquish the seed of the serpent.
The Approaching ANTICHRIST
(A series of radio messages, KXEL, Des Moines, Iowa)
Installment two
I. THE TIME THAT THE ANTICHRIST WILL APPEAR
Now that we have seen that the seed of the serpent mentioned in Genesis 3:15 is the Antichrist and have recognized him from portraits painted by Daniel, John, and Paul as a world dictator, we want to know when he will appear.
1. According to II Thessalonians 2:3
In Paul's portrait of the Antichrist, in II Thessalonians 2:3, we learn that he will appear before the Tribulation: "for it [that is, the day of the Lord, or the Tribulation] will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition."
This verse shows that the Antichrist will be revealed—that is, his identity will become known—before the Tribulation. Verse 4, however, tells us of his taking a definite stand against all religions and demanding that all men everywhere worship him as God. From Daniel 9:27 we know that this event will occur in the middle of the Tribulation.
But the revealing of the Antichrist before the Tribulation and his presenting himself as God in the middle of the Tribulation must not be confused with the revealing of him mentioned in II Thessalonians 2:8: "And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth …" This overthrow of the Antichrist will occur at the end of the Tribulation at the second Coming of the Lord Jesus.
2. According to Daniel 7:23-25
The question as to when the Antichrist will appear and his identity become known is answered in Daniel 7:23-25:
"23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24 And as for the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall ten kings arise: and another shall arise after them; and shall be diverse from the former, and he shall put down three kings. 25 And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time."
The majority of fundamental premillennialists recognize this fourth and last beast presented to Daniel in this vision as a symbol of the Roman Empire. According to this prediction, verse 23, Rome will devour the whole earth and tread it down and break it into pieces. So far Rome has never enjoyed universal supremacy. Since, however, the Lord has foretold that she will, we may be certain that she will attain that position at the set time in the future.
After Rome—the fourth type of world government—has completely conquered all peoples and incorporated them within her empire, she will collapse and break into ten divisions, as is presupposed in verse 24: "And as for the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall ten kings arise."
When Rome will have reached this ten-fold division, the Antichrist, represented by the little horn which comes up in the midst of the ten, will appear. It is unscriptural for anyone to expect the Antichrist to appear before this division occurs. Then and only then can anyone, according to prophecy, expect the rise of Antichrist.
According to the angel's message to Daniel, then, the Antichrist appears only after the world kingdom has fallen into ten divisions. According to Paul, the Antichrist will be revealed—his identity will become known—before the Tribulation. Thus, by taking these two statements together, we know that he will appear at some time between the rise of the ten kings and the beginning of the Tribulation.
How long this period will be, we do not know. There is apparently not even a hint of its duration given in the Scriptures.
Those familiar with the prophetic Word are certain that the Rapture of the church will occur before the Tribulation, but just how long before, no one knows. There may or there may not be an intervening period.
Let us, for the sake of investigation, assume that the Antichrist will appear before the Rapture of the church occurs, though no one, so far as I know, can tell. If I should live to see Rome becoming a world empire, I would know with absolute certainty that the time for his appearance was very close at hand, but I would know also that he had not as yet arisen. Let us assume further that some time—little or much—passes and that this world empire falls into ten divisions. Then I would know that we were much closer to the time for Antichrist to appear, and I would have a right to expect him to step forth upon the international scene at almost any time.
Should I see a man arising out of obscurity who begins to associate with these ten kings to gain influence over them and finally to grasp power from them and should the number of his name be 666, I could know with absolute certainty that he was the Antichrist coming into power. In this way only would I be able to recognize a man as the seed of the serpent, the son of perdition.
Now do not misunderstand me. I am convinced that the Rapture of the church will occur before the Tribulation and that the man of sin will also be revealed—so far as his identity is concerned—before the Tribulation. But which of these events will take place first, I cannot tell; nor do I know of anyone who can.
II. THE ACTIVITIES OF THE ANTICHRIST
II Thessalonians, chapter 2
With the time that the Antichrist will appear established as nearly as scriptural revelation permits, we now want to study his activities. A good starting point is II Thessalonians, chapter 2.
1. Importance of the Thessalonian Epistles
Both of the Thessalonian epistles are of utmost importance to the prophetic student. When the Apostle Paul first went to Thessalonica he had Silas and Timothy with him. He remained there about three weeks, establishing the church and building it up in the most holy faith.
When trouble broke out in Thessalonica which involved this new church, Paul sent Timothy back to comfort and to assist the believers in this special trial of faith. From the accounts in the Thessalonian letter, we learn that not only the unbelieving Jews were causing trouble, but also other persons, probably professed Christians, were disquieting the believers concerning certain doctrinal questions.
2. The Importance of Prophecy
In Thessalonica Paul not only preached the gospel, but also gave the converts thorough instructions, especially in the prophetic word, as we see in II Thessalonians, chapter 2. His giving these new converts profound prophetic messages shows that he considered prophecy to be one of the essential and fundamental doctrines of Scriptures. I sincerely believe that we today should give the same emphasis to prophecy that is given to it in the Word. In II Peter 1:17-21 we are exhorted to give heed to it "… as unto a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise" in our hearts.
3. False Teachers
One of the main reasons for my urging ministers to emphasize the teaching of prophecy is that, when it is omitted people become a ready prey to false teachers. I meet people everywhere who come to me with difficulties, stating that they have heard this, that, or another teaching by radio, television, or otherwise and now do not know what is the truth.
Just as this condition prevails today, it also existed in the days of the apostles. False teachers were disturbing the new converts by claiming that the Rapture had already occurred and that the Tribulation—the day of the Lord—had already come upon the world. In the second Thessalonian epistle Paul cites and warns the church against the three methods which these false teachers were using to deceive the believers. They claimed that they had revelations from the Spirit which were contrary to the teachings of Paul. They also claimed that they received their information from "the living voice," or the regular apostolic tradition handed down from the days that the Lord Jesus was on earth. Lastly, they professed to have letters from Paul which taught a different doctrine from that which he had taught when he had been with the newly organized church in Thessalonica.
I bring in these details concerning these deceptive teachers because false teachers, speculators, and heretics today worm their way into orthodox groups, presenting their error and claiming the authority of even recognized teachers and ministers of the Word. Furthermore, Paul warns of the prevalence of false teachers in the last days.
We are now ready to study II Thessalonians 2:1-12. The message in this important passage comes under three main headings. The first is the Rapture of the church and the Tribulation; the second is the Antichrist and his activities; the third is the world-wide revival and its sweep during the Tribulation Period, culminating in the conversion of the remnant of Israel at the end of the Tribulation.
Of these three topics, we shall be concerned in this series of studies mainly with the second—the Antichrist and his activities.
4. Why Paul Mentioned the Antichrist
In studying the activities of the Antichrist as revealed in II Thessalonians 2:1-12, we need to keep in mind why Paul mentions him in this letter. The false teachers were disturbing the young converts at Thessalonica by claiming that the Rapture had already occurred and that the Tribulation had already come upon the world. To prove that the day of the Lord, or the Tribulation, had not come, Paul pointed out that the Antichrist had not yet been revealed, nor had the predicted apostasy occurred.
Very unfortunately II Thessalonians 2:2 in the King James version reads "… the day of Christ." The American Revised Version, 1901 edition, correctly reads "the day of the Lord." The day of Christ has two meanings in the New Testament—the day of His coming for His saints, referred to as the Rapture, and the time that He will reign upon the earth, referred to as the Millennium. Paul, however, is clearly referring to neither of these events, but to the day of the Lord, or the Tribulation, which false teachers were saying had come, but which we know has not come even yet.
In verse 4 Paul states that the Antichrist will sit in the temple of God, "setting himself forth as God." But how will he rise to power, and then how will he so exalt himself?
III. THE ANTICHRIST'S RISE TO POWER:
Daniel, chapters 7 and 9
We have already seen in Daniel, chapter 7, that, when the world empire collapses, it will fall into ten separate divisions, each ruled by a dictator. Then the Antichrist will arise, put down three of these dictators, and make mere puppets of the remaining seven. Now I shall tell you how I think he will attain this position.
While the ten dictators are grappling with the problems of government, the Antichrist will appear from obscurity as a diplomat and politician of the highest order, who will be able to advise the rulers how to solve their problems. He will, of course, lay an exorbitant levy upon each king for helping him. Thus world power, prestige, and influence will gravitate into the hands of this newly arrived diplomat. He will acquire his ability and amiability, together with his wisdom, from Satan. In stepping forward upon the international scene, the great smooth-tongued diplomat and far-sighted statesman will naturally assume the leadership of the ten grateful dictators whom he will assist.
In Daniel 9:24-27, we find that the Antichrist, or the willful king, as he is elsewhere called, will make a covenant with the apostate Jews for seven years, the period of the Tribulation. During the first half of the Tribulation, he will reign along with the ten dictators. But he will meantime be building up his forces and, instead of adoring God, will worship the god of fortresses, that is, his great military machine.
In the middle of the Tribulation, the king of the South will come against the Antichrist. Then the king of the North will also oppose him. The conflagration will develop into World War II of the Tribulation and will include all the world except three countries—namely, Edom, Moab, and Ammon. Three of the original ten kings will be killed, liquidated. The remaining seven will become mere puppets in the hands of the Antichrist, who will reign with absolute, unquestioned authority for the rest of the Tribulation.
It is at the end of World War II of the Tribulation, when the three kings are overthrown and the remaining seven subdued, that the Antichrist will arrogate to himself the honor and the worship that belong to God alone. He will go to Jerusalem and stage the greatest demonstration of superhuman, diabolical power that the world has ever seen or ever will see. Those whose names have not been written in the Lamb's Book of Life from the foundation of the world, their eyes being blinded to spiritual things, will give honor and glory and praise to this willful king, the Antichrist.
IV. THE ANTICHRIST'S EXALTATION
Having shown how the Antichrist will rise to power, I shall now show you how, from my study of the Scriptures, I believe he will exalt himself to the position of being worshipped as God.
1. The Return to Idolatry
Various passages of the Scriptures show, that, after the church has been raptured, idolatry will spread like a prairie fire all over the world. In Isaiah 2:20 we learn that, when the terrible Tribulation judgments are poured out upon the earth, men will cast away in fear their idols of gold and silver. In Isaiah 17:7,8 the prophet foretells that, when the world-wide revival occurs in the Tribulation, men will turn to God and forsake the altars and the idols which they have made. World-wide idolatry is also foretold in Isaiah 57:3-10. Then in Revelation 9:20 we learn of demon and idol worship.
The benighted people of the earth will bring back and worship the old pagan gods. There will be formed one great world church, or organization, which John, in Revelation, chapter 17 refers to as "Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of the Harlots and the Abominations [that is, the idols] of the Earth." The world government will support the great harlot during the first three and a half years of the Tribulation. In the middle of the Tribulation, however, the Antichrist will become insanely jealous of the love of the people and their devotion to this ecclesiasticism and will consequently crush the organization. He will speak against it and against all religion, even blaspheming the God of heaven and opposing all that is called God or that is worshipped. Then he will present himself as God and demand the worship of all mankind.
2. Satan's Supernatural Powers
The spread of paganism throughout the world after the Rapture of the church will be a great factor in the Antichrist's becoming worshipped as God. Another effective force will be Satan's display of supernatural powers. During World War II of the Tribulation, when the three kings will be liquidated and the remaining seven will become mere puppets of the Antichrist, Satan will perform a miracle that will astound the world. The Antichrist will receive the stroke of death during the war. He will actually die. But Satan will bring his spirit back from Sheol. His spirit will re-enter his body; and he will, consequently, come to life again. Then, according to Revelation, chapter 13, Satan will give the Antichrist his throne and power. The Antichrist, thus endowed by Satan, will put on a mighty demonstration of supernatural power, performing miracles at Jerusalem. The death and resurrection of the Antichrist, followed by this demonstration of miraculous power, will delude the benighted people into believing that he is God. Every kind of trick of deception and of unrighteousness will be used to keep the people from discovering the nature of the power that the antichrist will display and the falsity of the claims that he will make.
Though this demonstration of power will be staged to convince all men that the Antichrist is God and must be worshipped, not all will be convinced. Only one class of people whom Paul speaks of as "them that perish" will be deceived. But why will they be deceived and perish? Paul also answers that question in II Thessalonians 2:10-12: This group will be comprised of those who "received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: 12 that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
During the world-wide revival that will occur in the Tribulation, practically all the honest seekers after Truth will accept the Lord Jesus Christ. Many of them will be martyred because of their faith, as we see in Revelation, chapter 6. But great hosts of people will not receive a love of the truth as it will be presented by the 144,000 Jewish evangels in the world-wide revival. They will instead have pleasure in unrighteousness. When people spurn the opportunity of receiving the truth, preferring the sordid things of this life rather than the blessings of God for time and eternity, God sends them strong delusion in order that they might believe a lie and be condemned.
3. Antichrist's Absolute Power
For this reason God will permit the Antichrist, in the middle of the Tribulation, to stage the greatest demonstration of superhuman, diabolical power that the world will ever witness. He will not only demand that all people worship him, but also require that they take his name or the number of his name on their foreheads. Those who have rejected the truth and who take pleasure in unrighteousness will readily take the mark of the beast. By so doing, they will seal their doom. Thus we have seen that the Antichrist, the tool of Satan, will exercise absolute power, but only because God will permit him to do so in order that the unrighteous will be brought to the doom that they have chosen by turning away from God. Those who receive the truth will not be deceived. Many of them will suffer martyrdom, but all will enter into the joy of their salvation, unmarred by the Antichrist or Satan whom he will serve.
The Approaching ANTICHRIST
(A series of radio messages, KXEL, Des Moines, Iowa)
Installment three
I. PURPOSES OF THE TRIBULATION
During the seven years known as the Tribulation period, the Lord will pour out His judgments upon the world to punish the inhabitants thereof for their wickedness and to purge out from men all the unrepentant sinners who willfully refuse to learn righteousness. This cleansing of the earth of the wicked will make way for the reign of righteousness which the Lord will then establish. His thousand years of reigning on earth is known as the Millennium.
II. THE WAR OF THE GREAT DAY OF GOD THE ALMIGHTY
The Tribulation Period will be brought to a close by the War of the Great Day of God, the Almighty, which is popularly, but incorrectly, called the Battle of Armageddon. The term Battle of Armageddon is taken from the translation of Revelation 16:14 in the King James Version and the mention of Armageddon in verse 16. In the original Greek, however, the word war, not battle, is used. A study of the Scriptures shows that the conflict at the end of the Tribulation is not a single battle, but a full-scale war, and that it is not confined to Armageddon, but extends throughout the whole fertile crescent, having as its focal points Jerusalem and Babylon. This city of Babylon will be built on the site of ancient Babylon and will be utterly destroyed. It is in this War of the Great Day of God, the Almighty, that the Antichrist with his world army will be defeated.
1. Babylon on the Eastern Front
Let us begin our study of this crucial war with the eastern front, with Babylon as the focal point. The prophet Isaiah, in chapters 13 and 14, gives a very vivid description of the titanic struggle. Verses 17 and 18 of chapter 13 refer to the siege of Babylon under the Medes in the days of Cyrus the Great. The major portion of this prophecy, however, is an excellent description of the conflict which will center in Babylon at the end of the Tribulation.
a. The New Babylon
The very first verse of chapter 13 indicates that Babylon is the subject of the prophecy. It reads: "The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see." Jeremiah, likewise, in chapters 50 and 51, prophesies a sudden and complete destruction of Babylon. A careful study of these two prophecies reveals that neither of them has been fulfilled in the manner and upon the scale here foretold. We must, therefore, conclude that these predictions will yet find complete realization. For God has declared through the prophet Jeremiah, "I watch over my word to perform it" (Jer. 1:12). We know, then that whatever God has said He will do, He will bring to pass at the set time. We must conclude, therefore, that, since Babylon will be destroyed during the Tribulation, it will have been rebuilt before that time. The Scriptures reveal that the new Babylon will be on the same site as Ancient Babylon.
Revelation, chapter 18, deals with the overthrow of Babylon at the end of the Tribulation Period. One must not confuse the prophecy concerning Babylon in Revelation, chapter 18, with the prophecy concerning Babylon the Harlot in chapter 17. Babylon the Harlot is a world-wide ecclesiastical system which will center in Babylon, and which the Antichrist will overthrow in the middle of the Tribulation.
b. The Gathering Armies
In Isaiah, chapter 13, we see God's gathering of the armies of the world against Babylon for its complete destruction. And who will be at the head of these armies? The Antichrist and his henchmen, the kings of the world. The Antichrist himself, however, will be personally occupied with the western front, with Jerusalem as the focal point. In God's gathering these armies against Babylon, we see one of the many instances of God's overruling and directing the course of nations as well as of individuals. The Almighty does not intrude upon man's freedom of the will. But He does overrule the actions of mankind and make everything contribute to His ultimate glory and to the salvation of those who are called and who love Him.
At the time foreseen in this prophecy, God will lead certain portions of the armies of the world to besiege Babylon, which will be the commercial capital of the world at that time. Do not think that, because Babylon must be rebuilt, the consummation of the ages is in the far-distant future. Things move along with ever-increasing rapidity these days. Babylon could rise out of the dust and become the metropolis of the world in a few months' time under the magic hand of modern inventions and the machine age.
God uses the nations and their armies to punish other kingdoms and to make a realignment of the peoples in order to carry out His plans and purposes. This truth is clearly set forth in Isaiah, chapter 10, wherein we see God's using Sennacherib and his Assyrian hosts to chastise Israel for the nation's iniquity. The Scriptures contain many other instances of such usage. So we see in Isaiah 13:1-5 that God will bring armies from all nations against Babylon in order to accomplish His purposes against that proud boastful commercial center.
c. Terrors of the Tribulation Days
That Isaiah is here speaking of the time of the Tribulation is evident from his mention of the day of Jehovah, or the time of destruction from the Almighty. The terror of those days is beyond human comprehension. Let us note in Isaiah 13:6-13 what will occur:
"6 Wail ye; for the day of Jehovah is at hand; as destruction from the Almighty shall it come. 7 Therefore shall all hands be feeble, and every heart of man shall melt: 8 and they shall be dismayed; pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman in travail: they shall look in amazement one at another; their faces shall be faces of flame. 9 Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger; to make the land a desolation, and to destroy the sinners thereof out of it. 10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in its going forth, and the moon shall not cause its light to shine. 11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. 12 I will make a man more rare than fine gold, even a man than the pure gold of Ophir. 13 Therefore I will make the heavens to tremble, and the earth shall be shaken out of its place, in the wrath of Jehovah of hosts, and in the day of this fierce anger."
From these verses we learn of some of the great cataclysms of nature that will take place. The heavens will tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place. The stars and the constellations, as well as the sun and the moon, will be blacked out. In fact, the blackout here described is the last of five that will occur. One will be before the Tribulation, one at the end of the first quarter of the Tribulation, one at the middle of the second quarter, one near the end of the Tribulation, and this one at its close.
We learn also from Isaiah, chapter 13, that few people will survive the terrific judgments of the Tribulation. A man will be "more rare than fine gold, even a man than the pure gold of Ophir" (v. 12).
d. The Destruction of Babylon
When this stroke of divine judgment falls upon Babylon, the city will be destroyed, as we see in verse 5; but the invading forces will be routed, as we learn in verse 14; "And it shall come to pass, that as the chased roe, and as sheep that no man gathereth, they shall turn every man to his own people, and shall flee every man to his own land."
Thus we see that events on the eastern front in the War of the Great Day of God, the Almighty. Our next concern will be with the western front, with Jerusalem as the focal point.
2. Jerusalem on the Western Front
Although the Antichrist will be the leader of the world armies in this conflict, he, himself, will probably not be engaged in the struggle on the eastern front, centering in Babylon. He will however, participate in the war on the western front, centering in Jerusalem.
It is this phase of the war that we shall now study. It is the finale of the sordid reign of the Antichrist. At its conclusion his conqueror, the Lord Jesus Christ, will usher in the glorious Millennium. For one thousand years the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, will reign on earth. Then the present heavens and earth will pass away and a new heaven and a new earth will be created, over which the Lord Jesus Christ will reign eternally.
a. Antichrist's Reign of Terror
The activities in Palestine of the Antichrist and his henchmen against the Jewish people are set forth in Psalm 10. There we may read of the world-wide reign of terror, the prevailing atheism, and the destruction of the innocent and the helpless.
b. Destruction of the Temple
In Psalm 74:1-11 we learn of the desecration and destruction of the synagogues and the temple. Because this important passage is often understood to be a reference to an event that occurred many centuries ago, I wish to point out briefly the inaccuracy of such an interpretation.
This passage cannot refer to Nebuchadnezzar's conquest of Palestine, for there were no synagogues before the Babylonian captivity. It cannot refer to the deed of Antiochus Epiphanes, the Graeco-Syrian ruler of Antioch, for he profaned the temple, but did not destroy it. Lastly the passage cannot refer to the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, for Titus forbade the destruction of the temple. When, however, the beleaguered Jews fought from the temple, a Roman soldier set it afire. The temple was destroyed but it was not desecrated.
A close study of related Scriptures clearly reveals that Psalms 74:1-11 is a prediction of the depredations and destruction that will occur in Palestine in the latter half of the Tribulation.
The Jewish nation has had no temple since A.D. 70; but this passage, as well as others, shows that Israel will build one again. It is this temple which will be destroyed during the Tribulation Period. The Antichrist and his allies, with their world armies, Psalm 74 reveals, will invade the holy Land; they will set up their own ensigns everywhere; they will hack the carved work of the temple with hatchets and beat it down with hammers; finally they will set fire to the sanctuary and profane the holy of holies; they will determine to make havoc altogether of the Jewish people; and they will burn up all the synagogues in the land.
c. The Final Struggle
The final struggle at Jerusalem, which will be brought to an end by the personal appearance of the Lord Jesus, is graphically portrayed in Psalm 79. The prophet Joel, in chapter 3, gives an illuminating description of the mighty preparation of the nations for the final struggle in this War of the Great Day of God, the Almighty. He depicts the last siege of Jerusalem and its deliverance by the personal appearance of the Lord Jesus. But one of the fullest and most detailed predictions concerning this war on the western battlefront, throughout Palestine and adjacent countries, appears in Zechariah's final prophecy, chapters 12, 13, and 14.
In chapter 12, verses 1-9, Zechariah depicts the final siege of Jerusalem. We learn that Jerusalem will be to those nations that besiege it what the cup of liquor is to the drunkard—the occasion of their downfall. Zechariah compares Jerusalem to a stone, the weight of which crushes the hands of the person attempting to lift it. Thus he foretells the doom of the nations which will attempt to meddle into Jewish affairs and to destroy the Holy City. He who touches Israel, Zechariah declares, touches the apple of God's eye. No one can persecute the Jew or commit depredations in the Holy Land and escape God's chastisement and punishment.
Zechariah compares the chieftains of Judah to a pan of fire placed in a heap of wood and to a flaming torch among sheaves of grain. Thus he shows that God will use these leaders of Jewry as agents for the destruction of the opposing armies. Verse 7 reveals that Jehovah will save first the tents in the outlying districts of Jerusalem so that those living in the city, who have greater privileges than those living in the rural sections, might not become conceited and think themselves above those less fortunate.
From verse 8 we learn that Jehovah will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem and will make the weakest Jew a strong warrior like David. The strongest of the Jews will also be strengthened and become as an agnel of Jehovah.
As the battle is raging in all its fury, Jehovah will suddenly appear on the scene and destroy all the nations fighting against His Chosen People, as we see in verse 9.
d. Israel's Looking Unto the Messiah
In the rest of chapter 12 and the first six verses of chapter 13, Zechariah depicts Israel's conversion at the end of the Tribulation. Let me point out here that verse 10 has caused much misunderstanding because it is inaccurately translated in the King James version. Because it reads "and they shall look UPON me whom they have pierced," many persons believe that the Jewish people will not be converted until they look upon Christ when He visibly returns to the earth at the end of the Tribulation. The correct translation of the Hebrew, however, is "and they shall look UNTO me whom they have pierced." Zechariah, therefore, is saying that the people of Israel will place their faith in Him—Jehovah who is speaking the oracle and whom their ancestors pierced, when He came to earth 1900 years ago.
This interpretation of verse 10 is confirmed by other passages of the Scriptures which declare that Israel must confess the national sin of crucifying the Messiah before He will return to earth again. When the people of Israel have been given the truth and have considered the Gospel message, they will look UNTO the Messiah, confess their national sin, and plead for Him to return.
In chapter 13 Zechariah tells how the Jews will then purge out all fortunetellers and necromancers from their country. He also describes the enormous casualties that the Jews will suffer during the Tribulation—especially during the War of the Great Day of God, the Almighty. In verse 8, we learn that two thirds of the Jews will be liquidated. Verse 9 reveals that the remaining third will then be further purged and refined as gold and silver are by fire. From this third will come the faithful remnant of God's Chosen People.
Zechariah gives us a final picture of the western battlefront in the first eight verses of chapter 14. If we should compare the prophecy in these eight verses to a mountain range, we would see three peaks towering above the rest of the range. The three predictions surmounting the things foretold here are the final battle of Jerusalem, the appearance of Messiah upon the Mount of Olives for the deliverance of the faithful remnant, and His becoming King over all the earth.
e. The Messiah's Return
According to this prophecy, in the final stages of the struggle, the world armies will be in a desperate death grapple with the Jewish people in Jerusalem and throughout the country. Half of the city will fall under the titanic strokes of the enemy. At the crucial moment the Lord Jesus will appear and stop the conflict. When He stands upon the Mount of Olives, it will be cleft in twain; the besieged Jews will flee through the valley thus formed; and a stream of water will rush forth, part flowing to the eastern sea and part to the western. Then the Lord Jesus will become King over all the earth; He will lift the curse and reign from sea to sea and to the ends of the earth. Then will dawn the perfect day foretold by the prophets, and righteousness will prevail.
f. The Fate of the Antichrist
But what about the Antichrist? From Ezekiel 39:17-29, which must not be confused with the prophecy concerning Russia's invasion of Palestine described in chapter 38 and the first sixteen verses of chapter 39, we learn that the Lord Jesus will utterly destroy the world armies that the Antichrist will marshal against Jerusalem. This destruction is confirmed in Revelation 19:19-21.
We know from II Thessalonians 2:8 that the Lord Jesus will also slay the Antichrist. But from Revelation 19:20 we know that the Antichrist will be revived, for he will be "cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone." Lastly, in Revelation 20:10 we find that he will be tormented there day and night for ever and ever.
With this appalling scene we must conclude our study of the Antichrist, the seed of the serpent, the son of perdition, and the tool of Satan.
