THE SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST – PART 2 – Whitestone Fellowship

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Part 2. THE SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST

“And every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.” 1 John 4:3.

“For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.” 2 John 1:7.

First comes the ‘spirit of antichrist’, and 1 John 4:3 tells us this has occurred in the first century A.D., and 2 John 1:7 tells us how this continues to this day.

But, there is one coming who is the Antichrist, himself. No one knows who the Antichrist, as a person, will be, but we do know that when he is revealed, he will not be a frightening figure. In fact, he will be just the opposite until he has gained power.

There is a reference in Daniel 11:21 comparing Antiochus Epiphanes to a type of Antichrist, who is one of the most brutal rulers known in history, easily eclipsing the horrors of Adolph Hitler and his Third Reich.

But, the horrors of Antiochus Epiphanes will pale in comparison to the brutality and horror of the coming Antichrist.

Traits of the Antichrist Described in the Bible

Intelligent: Revelation 13:18; Daniel 7:8.
Charismatic Speaker: Daniel 7:8 Revelation 13:5.
Crafty Politician: Daniel 9:27; Revelation 17:12, 13, 17.
Distinct Physical Appearance: Daniel 7:20.
Military Genius: Revelation 4; 17:14; 19:19.
Economic Genius: Daniel 11:38.
Blasphemer: Revelation 13:6.
Utterly Lawless: 2 Thessalonians 2:8.
Selfish, Ambitious Egomaniac: Daniel 11:36, 37; 2 Thessalonians 2:4.
Greedy Materialist: Daniel 11:38.
Controlling: Daniel 7:25.
Proud and Self-exalting Above God and Everything: Daniel 11:36; 2 Thessalonians. 2:4.

What is the purpose of the Antichrist?

His purpose is to deceive. The Antichrist is a person prophesied by the Bible to oppose Christ and substitute himself in Christ’s place before the Second Coming.

What will the Antichrist do?

Revelation 13:11 says, “Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon.”

He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence.
And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.
He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men.
And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life.
And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead,
and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.

“Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.” Revelation 13:11-18.

He will doom anyone who receives his “Mark” and worships him, to suffer God’s Wrath. “So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.” Revelation 16:2

“Those which he deceived, those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image, are thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.” Revelation 19:20

WHAT IS THE MARK OF THE BEAST

No one knows what ‘the mark’ will actually look like. There is speculation that it could be an image, (an icon), or a microchip or a tattooed type of barcode used in place of money or credit cards for tracking, commerce and trade. But, from scriptures we do know…

And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead,
and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.
Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six. Revelation 13:11-18.

WHEN WILL THIS BEAST GIVE HIS MARK?

The popular idea in many church denominations is that

the Antichrist will give his “Mark of the Beast” before The Tribulation period, but that,
he will not be revealed until after the rapture of the Church.

Revelation 3:16-17 says, He will “cause all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.” from, Revelation 13:16-17.

HOWEVER, the Bible clearly tells us that

the Antichrist will be revealed BEFORE the rapture of the church and
he will give his Mark of the Beast AFTER the rapture of the Church.

I. Anti-Christ is revealed before the rapture

The Apostle Paul informs us, in 2 Thessalonians1:4 that, “Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.“

(What is “THE DAY OF THE LORD”? To know more, click this link.)

The Great Apostasy and the persecution of the saints occurs sometime during the 5th Tribulation Seal, or just at the beginning of the 6th Tribulation Seal. (Compare Matthew 24: 9-10 with Revelation 6:9-122 and you will see the great persecution of Believers and accompanied by the Great Apostasy).

We are seeing the 5th Tribulation Seal being opened in our lifetime, the great apostasy or falling away from the faith, false messiahs, great deceptions, also known as, the ‘deluding influence’ and alienation from one another, and it is to become more pronounced as time passes.

As I have proposed on numerous occasions, the Tribulation Seal Judgments One through Four, (wars and rumors of war, famines, plagues, earthquakes, spread of new diseases) began in or around AD 1. (click this link for “When Does Daniel’s 70th Week, also known as, the 7 Years of Great Tribulation, begin).

RECAP

Verse 2. “Do not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
Verse 3. “Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and
the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, Verse 4. who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.”

II. The Mark of the Beast comes AFTER the Rapture

And according to the Bible, the Antichrist gives his ‘Mark’ after the Seal Judgments, after the Rapture, and just after the 6th Tribulation Trumpet Judgment and at the advent of 7th Trumpet Judgment, which is the Mid-Point of the Great Tribulation, which is after three and one half years of the final 7 years of the Great Tribulation period.

Revelation 13:16-17 tells us when the Antichrist “causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, Verse 17. and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.”

The placement of Mark of the Beast, as mentioned in the scriptures, also tells us it is immediately following the 6^th Judgment Trumpet:

Seven trumpets are sounded (Seen in Revelation Chapters 8, 9, and 12).

First Trumpet: Hail and fire, mingled with blood, are thrown to the earth burning up a third of the trees and green grass. (Revelation 8:6–7)
Second Trumpet: Something that resembles a great mountain, burning with fire, falls from the sky and lands in the ocean. It kills a third of the sea creatures and destroys a third of the ships at sea. (Revelation 8:8–9)
Third Trumpet: A great star, named Wormwood, falls from heaven and poisons a third of the rivers and springs of water. (Revelation 8:10–11)
Fourth Trumpet: A third of the sun, the moon, and the stars are darkened creating complete darkness for a third of the day and the night. (Revelation 8:12–13)
Fifth Trumpet: The First Woe, (Revelation 9:1–12)
1. A “star” falls from the sky, (Revelation 9:1).
2. This “star” is given “the key to the bottomless pit”, (Revelation 9:1).
3. The “star” then opens the bottomless pit. When this happens, “smoke [rises] from [the Abyss] like smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky [are] darkened by the smoke from the Abyss” (Revelation 9:2).
4. From out of the smoke, locusts who are “given power like that of scorpions of the earth”. (Revelation 9:3),
5. who are commanded not to harm anyone or anything except for people who were not given the “seal of God” on their foreheads, (from chapter Revelation chapter 7, and Revelation 9:4).
6. The “locusts” are described as having a human appearance (faces and hair) but with lion’s teeth, and wearing “breastplates of iron”; the sound of their wings resembles “the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle”, (found in Revelation 9:7–9).
Sixth Trumpet: The Second Woe, (found in Revelation 9:13–21).
1. The four angelsbound to the great river Euphrates are released to prepare two hundred million horsemen.
2. These armies kill a third of mankind by plagues of fire, smoke, and brimstone.
Interlude: The little scroll. (found in Revelation 10:1–11)
1. An angel appears, with one foot on the sea and one foot on the land, having an opened little book in his hand.
2. Upon the cry of the angel, seven thunders utter mysteries and secrets that are not to be written down by John.
3. John is instructed to eat the little scroll that happens to be sweet in his mouth, but bitter in his stomach, and to prophesy.
4. John is given a measuring rod to measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.
5. Outside the temple, at the court of the holy city, it is trod by the nations for forty-two months (which is 3 and 1⁄2 years).
6. Two witnesses prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. (Revelation 11:1–14)
Seventh Trumpet, (found in Revelation 11:15–19): This is the Third Woe which is followed by the Seven Bowls.
The Beast gives his ‘MARK’. so that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the ‘Mark of the Beast’.
The temple of God opens in heaven, where the ark of His covenant can be seen. There are lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.

What Does This Mean to You?

What this means to you and to me is that some will have the opportunity to suffer awhile before the Rapture. But, no Christian will suffer The Wrath of God, following the 6^th Tribulation Seal.

Before the Rapture

Other names for the the tribulation Seals 1 through 5 is the ‘times of distress’ or ‘the beginning of birth pangs’. Christians may suffer during this time. How do we know this? The Bible says so:

1 Peter1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

verse 4 . to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
verse 5. who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
verse 6. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, verse 7. so that the proof of your faith, beingmore precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;”

Revelation 6:9 tells us that, “When the Lamb broke the fifth seal,

I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; verse 10. and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
Verse 11. And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been,would be completed also.”

After the Rapture

The Great Tribulation also known as The Wrath of God, that is, the Wrath of the Lamb, begins with the breaking or opening of the 6th Seal of the Tribulation.

NOTE: The final 7 years of Daniel’s 70 Weeks, also known as the 7 Years of the Great Tribulation, will begin with the Breaking of the Sixth Tribulation Seal. It will reach the mid-point (after 3 1/2 years) at the Blowing of the 7th Trumpet Judgment and will conclude with the pouring out of the 7th Bowl Judgment.

Contrary to popular denomination beliefs of some, NO ONE WILL BE SAVED AFTER THE SIXTH TRUMPET JUDGEMENT. (Revelation 9:20-21, “The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands so as not to worship demons and the idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; and they did not repent of their murders, nor of their witchcraft, nor of their sexual immorality, nor of their thefts.” Also, Revelation 16:10-11 warns, “Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain, and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds.”