The Anti-Christ

1. The Anti-Christ How Will We Know Him???

2. Who is He??? • For millennia people have talked about him and the mysterious number 666. • People have speculated who he is and whether he is already amongst us.

3. Many Candidates throughout History Adolph Hitler Caesar Napoleon Even George W. Bush!!! The Pope Henry Kissinger John F. Kennedy Prince Charles

4. How will we recognize him when he appears?

5. Bible gives us his characteristic • He is called the “lawless” one.

6. “Lawless One” 2 Thessalonians 2:8-11 8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

7. Lawless - anomia • the condition of without law • because ignorant of it • because of violating it • contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness Strongs #458

8. Future Anti-Christ • Not against “laws,” for he causes all to wear a mark and no one can buy or sell without the mark. Revelation 13:16-18 • All dictators have restrictive laws. • He is against God’s Law (Torah).

9. How will we Recognize Him? • He is anti-Torah (against Torah)! • Abomination of Desolation:

10. Puts “Abomination of Desolation” in Temple – Matthew 24:15-27 “Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand)…”

11. Daniel 11:31 • "Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation.”

12. Abomination of Desolation 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, 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.2 Thessalonians 2

13. There Already was Someone Like That! • Antiochus Epiphanies • Forced Jewish people to renounce Torah • Tried to Hellenize the Jews. • Put “Abomination of Desolation” in Temple

14. How about – Titus? • In the year A. D. 70, Titus Caesar, the son of the Roman emperor, came against Jerusalem to besiege it. The siege lasted nearly seven months.

15. Josephus said: • When the Roman soldiers brought their ensigns, images of Titus, and set them up in the temple, the abomination of desolation was thus set up. So the image of Titus set up in the holy place was a great abomination in God’s sight, because it was an image of an Antichrist in the very temple that was built to honor the Lord.

16. The Roman standard was raised in the ruins, and they sacrificed to their pagan gods in the Holy Place.

17. Eusebius said: • Speaking of A.D. 70, "at last the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophets was implanted in the very temple of God....” "THE ESSENTIAL EUSEBIUS, Luibheid, Colm, New York, Mentor-Omega Books, 1966, p. 97, III, 5:1-7

18. Preterist Thought • A “Preterist” believes that the Scripture prophecies have already been fulfilled. So there is nothing further that has to be fulfilled (such as a future anti-Christ). • The term preterism is derived from the word preterite, or past perfect tense; it also has its roots in the Latin word præter, meaning "past."

19. Thessalonians - 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10 • Date: CE 50-51 • Thought that the “Day of the Lord” had already come. (“Left Behind”) • Shaul seeks to reassure them that it has still not happened!

20. 1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 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. 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, 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.

21. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.

22. Destruction by Titus 70 CE • So, was the destruction of the Temple and the “Abomination of Desolations” in Titus’ time that Shaul writes about? • No. Still the Revelation of John, which according to good scholarship, won’t be written until after 90 CE.

23. Revelation 13 11 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. 12 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. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. 14 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. 15 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.

24. 16 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, 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. 18 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.

25. Future Antichrist • Has characteristics of previous types: Antiochus, Titus: • Abomination of Desecration in Temple • Ceasing sacrificial system • Anti God’s Law

26. Empowered by the Dragon • Revelation 12 & 13 • Revelation 13:2 “And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.” • Revelation 12:9 “And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan…”

27. Not a Flesh & Blood issue • For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual {forces} of wickedness in the heavenly {places.} Ephesians 6:12

28. The Ruler of Tyre • 1 The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, say to the leader of Tyre, `Thus says the Lord GOD, "Because your heart is lifted up And you have said, `I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods In the heart of the seas'; Yet you are a man and not God, Although you make your heart like the heart of God– Ezekiel 28

29. King of Tyre 11 Again the word of the LORD came to me saying, 12 "Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him, `Thus says the Lord GOD, "You had the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 "You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The ruby, the topaz and the diamond; The beryl, the onyx and the jasper; The lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; And the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, Was in you. On the day that you were created They were prepared. 14 "You were the anointed cherub who covers, And I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 "You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created Until unrighteousness was found in you.

30. Spirit Behind Future Anti-Christ 1 And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. 2 And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. Revelation 13

31. Same Spirit • Same spirit behind the Anti-Christ as was behind the thrones of many kings: Satan

32. Satan Anti-God and Anti-God’s Law (Anti-Torah)

33. Anti-Torah was Already Happening at Shaul’s Time! For the mystery of lawlessness (anti-Torah) is already at work… 2 Thessalonians 2:7 • Where? In the World? • No – Always been “anti-Torah” in the World – But In the “Church”

34. Even during Shaul’s time, there was an “anti-Torah” spirit at work in the “Church” • People were twisting his writings and making it say something it didn’t.

35. Peter writes about these People • “…as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 3

36. Shaul’s writings used to Defend Anti-Law Position of the Church • Does this mean that he is “anti-Law?”

37. Shaul disproved his being Anti-Torah - Acts 21 17 After we arrived in Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. 18 And the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 19 After he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; 21 and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.

38. Shaul Disproved his being Anti-Torah Acts 21 23 "Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; 24 take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law.

39. Church has fallen under the Teachings of these Unprincipled Men • Non-Jewish men who introduced Greek thought into the Body of Messiah. • Called “Early Church Fathers” by the Church. • Who taught that the Law was not applicable to believers in Christ.

40. Spirit of Anti-Christ • The spirit behind the Greek thought that came into the Church is what Shaul was talking about.

41. The Great Deception • How will these people be deceived? 8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

42. The Great Apostasy • 3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first… 2 Thessalonians2:3 • Many believers are going to fall away from the faith.

43. They did Not Believe the Truth • “…they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth” 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12

44. What is Truth? • The Word of the L-rd "Sanctify them in the truth; Your wordistruth.” John 17:17

45. Need to Cling to Word of God • All the prophets of God directed the people of God to God’s Torah! • The prophets always cried for the people of God to return to the Torah! • Not ONE of them ever said that Torah did not apply to them! • Not EVEN Yeshua!

46. Did NOT come to do Away with Torah • 17 "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 "Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5

47. Torah has Brought the People of God through Difficult Times • In the Wilderness, where it was first given! • In the Land, through times of prosperity and want. • In times of adversity: under foreign domination and oppression!

48. Through the last 2,000 years while we are scattered! • Through tribulation and persecution! • I believe also through the Great Tribulation!

49. Song of Moses & Song of the Lamb 1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished. 2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had beenvictorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God. 3And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! 4 "Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU, FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED." Revelation 15

50. Moses, Another name for Torah • "But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.' " Luke 16:31