The Reign of Antichrist

The Reign of Antichrist I. We do not need to know the times and the seasons. 1TH 5:1. II. The time of the day of the Lord is unknown. 1TH 5:2; MAT 24:42-44; MAR 13:32. III. The day of the Lord brings destruction upon the antichrist system. 1TH 5:3. IV. 1JO 2:18 prophesies of the coming of antichrist. Anti is a prefix meaning “opposite, against, in exchange, instead, representing, rivalling or simulating.” There is coming a Christ who will simulate and rival the true Christ. V. 2TH 2:1-12 sets forth the coming of antichrist who poses as God. A. The germ of this system has always been present but divinely restrained. vs. 6-7. B. The system will come to fruition when that divine restraint is lifted. C. Note that antichrist will be heralded by signs, wonders and deception. vs. 9-12. VI. REV 13 details the coming antichrist reign. A. Compare v. 1 with REV 17:7-11. 1. The five fallen heads or kings/kingdoms are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece. The sixth then reigning was Rome. Each of these empires reigned over God's covenant kingdom. 2. There was another to come, the seventh. Then there would be an eighth king/kingdom which is the beast. Thus, there are TWO more world empires. 3. Premillennialism has one more world empire coming which they perceive as being displaced by the reign of a Christ for 1000 years. But, the eighth king/kingdom is ANTICHRIST!! B. v. 2. The beast received his power, his seat, and his authority from the dragon. He is Satan's Christ. C. v. 4. This reign is characterized by total military control. D. v. 7. This is a one-world government. E. v. 10. This kingdom is established by force. F. vs. 13-14 c/w 2TH 2:9. 1. Note the involvement of miracles in the establishing of this bestial kingdom. 2. It is interesting that the present form of the dispensational theory of a coming Messianic world government was borne into the English-speaking world from a movement in the early 1800's that emphasized supernatural phenomena. G. v. 15. This reign is characterized by a one-world religion. Compare this with 2TH 2:4. H. vs. 16-17. This reign is characterized by total economic control. I. Summary: Here is a kingdom of god (the god of this world) on earth imitating the reign of God and of His Christ (1CH 29:11-12; PSA 2:6-8) in that all victory, worship and wealth is ascribed to the beast. This is Satan endeavoring to be like the Most High. ISA 14:14. VII. The Christ that premillennialists proclaim and whom they say the Jews will acknowledge is not the Christ of the Bible. A. Premillennialists deny fulfilled prophecy. 1. They claim that Christ did not do justice and judgment at his first coming. a. “At His first advent Christ, David's righteous Branch (Lk.1:31-33), did not The Reign of Antichrist 6-13-10 Page 1 of 3 'execute justice and judgment in the earth,' but was crowned with thorns and crucified. Neither was Israel the nation restored, nor did the Jewish people say, 'The Lord our righteousness.' Cf. Rom.10:3. The prophecy is yet to be fulfilled (Ac.15:14-17).” (Scofield Reference Bible, p.795, Comment re: JER 23) b. Contrast Dr. Scofield's footnote with JOH 5:30; 9:39; 12:31. 2. They deny that David's tabernacle is being rebuilt now. a. “Dispensationally, this is the most important passage in the N.T. It gives the divine purpose for this age, and for the beginning of the next. (1) The taking out from among the Gentiles of a people for His name, the distinctive work of the present, or church-age. The church is the ecclesia--the 'called- out assembly.' Precisely this has been in progress since Pentecost. The gospel has never anywhere converted all, but everywhere has called out some. (2) 'After this [viz. the out-calling] I will return.' James quotes from Amos 9:11-12. The verses which follow in Amos describe the final regathering of Israel, which the other prophets invariably connect with the fulfilment of the Davidic Covenant (e.g. Isa.11:1, 10-12; Je.23:5-8). (3) 'And will build again the tabernacle of David,' i.e. re-establish the Davidic rule over Israel (2 Sa.7:8-17; Lk.1:31-33). (4) 'That the residue of men [Israelites] may seek after the Lord.....” (Scofield Reference Bible, pp.1169-70, Comment re: ACT 15:13-18) b. The context of Acts 15 shows the rebuilding of David's tabernacle to be the conversion of the Gentiles! 3. They claim that the reign of Christ on the Davidic throne awaits fulfilment. a. “This passage, in harmony with Lk.1:32-33; Mt.19:28; Ac.2:30, 34, 35; 15:14-16, is conclusive that Christ is not now seated upon His own throne. The Davidic Covenant, and the promises of God through the prophets and the Angel Gabriel concerning the Messianic kingdom await fulfilment.” (Scofield Reference Bible, p.1334, Comment re: REV 3:21) b. Note that REV 3:7 shows that Christ NOW has the key or office of David. c. Furthermore, David's throne IS God's throne and it is in heaven. 1KI 2:12 c/w 1CH 29:23; PSA 89:1-2, 35-37. 4. The Christ of premillennialism did not fulfill the O.T. a. “ 'At hand' is NEVER a positive affirmation that the person or thing said to be 'at hand' will IMMEDIATELY appear, but only that no known or predicted event must intervene. When Christ appeared to the Jewish people, the next thing, in the order or revelation as it then stood, SHOULD have been the setting up of the Davidic kingdom.” (Scofield Reference Bible, p.998, Comment re: MAT 4:17. Caps mine, TEB) b. As to Dr. Scofield's assertion that although Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven was AT HAND, it could NEVER be something immediately evident or available, see MAR 14:42-43. c. The Christ of Premillennialism is a Christ who did not do the works he was sent to do, unlike the true Christ (LUK 24:44; ACT 13:32-34; ROM 10:4). Such a Christ is not to be believed. JOH 10:37-38. B. This denial of fulfilled prophecy accommodates the Jews who deny that Jesus was the Christ fulfilling O.T. prophecy. MAR 14:61-64. The Reign of Antichrist 6-13-10 Page 2 of 3 1. The Jews believed the true Christ had a devil. MAT 12:24; JOH 8:52. 2. The Christ that an unbelieving Jew will accept will not be the true Christ, but the antichrist or the devil. JOH 5:43; 8:44. C. During the reign of antichrist, the devil will be loosed and the divine restraint withdrawn. REV 20:7-8; 2TH 2:7. 1. In the twisted thinking of apostate Judaism (which premillennialism accommodates) the devil will be bound during this period and their Christ will be reigning. 2. But it will be the Lord Jesus Who is seemingly bound, though not actually, because He is simply lifting the divine restraint to allow wickedness to have its day of power. 3. It will be the devil masquerading as Christ who is actually “reigning!” VIII. The coming antichrist reign will be characterized by “peace and safety” ( 1TH 5:3). A. Observe Dr. Scofield's description of the millennial reign in his extensive note on ZEC 12-14: “The moral characteristics of the kingdom are to be righteousness and peace. The meek, not the proud, will inherit the earth; longevity will be greatly increased; the knowledge of the LORD will be universal; beast ferocity will be removed; absolute equity will be enforced; and outbreaking sin visited with instant judgment; while the enormous majority of earth's inhabitants will be saved (Is.11:4, 6-9; 65:20; Ps.2:9; Is.26:9; Zec.14:16-21). The N.T. (Re.20:1-5) adds a detail of immense significance--the removal of Satan from the scene. It is impossible to conceive to what heights of spiritual, intellectual, and physical perfection HUMANITY will attain in this, ITS coming age of righteousness and peace (Is.11:4-9; Ps.72:1-10). The kingdom is to be established by POWER, NOT PERSUASION....” (Scofield Reference Bible, p.977. Caps mine, TEB) B. Note that Dr. Scofield refers to humanity's “coming age of righteousness and peace.” This is the triumph of humanism!!! IX. Christ will destroy this antichrist system at His coming at the height of their “peace and safety.” LUK 17:26-30; 2TH 2:8; REV 19:11-21.