Grace Bible Church
Pastor Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
2016 New England Bible Conference.
The Lord is Coming Back.
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There are two passages that I would like to bring your attention this evening to begin our first message on the principle of our Lord coming back. Both of these passages deal with our Lord’s answer and warnings concerning what questions we need to focus in on in these last days that we are living in.

The first is found in our main passage which deals with our Lord’s rebuke to the Pharisees and Sadducees in Mat 16:1-3.

Mat 16:1-3, And the Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Him asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. But He answered and said to them, “When it is evening, you say,  ‘ It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?”

Mat 24:1-4, And Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. And He answered and said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here shall be left upon another, which will not be torn down.” And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what   will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.

The Bible gives many examples of signs that should warn us of the coming end of the age. Six such signs are given by our Lord Jesus Christ, two characteristics are given by Paul, and at least eleven other occurrences are given by the prophets to occur prior to or soon after the end of the age.

While we are also told we will not know the time of the End, God obviously wanted us to know when that time was getting closer. As the Christian church is increasingly drawn into a growing apostate movement and as more and more churches go into isolation, preparing to sleep through the growing attacks on their faith, the principle is that:

God knew it would take a few signs to wake us up and remind us that we need to be alert because in these last days we have a lot of work to do. Unfortunately, many Christians take the verses that tell us we won’t know the time of His coming to mean they should ignore any and all scripture that might warn us of this time of the Tribulation period.

Others have fallen into the trap of fearing being labeled a “conspiracy theorist” should they display an interest in the Biblical prophecies about our future on Earth.

It is increasingly obvious that the time of our Lord’s coming is drawing near. Prophecy is being fulfilled daily, and at a faster pace than ever before. For sake of discussion here, whether you believe in a pre-tribulation Rapture, or believe Christians will be witness to the full tribulation, wrath, and final judgments, matters not. The beginning of birth pains and the signs of the times should have the same effect on all of us. It should motivate us to save as many souls as we can in the time that we have left.

The issue for us is the great commission. And what is the great commission? The great commission is found in Mat 28:18-20, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Mat 5:13-14, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”

2Co 5:16-6:2, Therefore from now on we recognize no man according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain‑‑for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you”; behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is” the day of salvation “

The Great Commission tells us to be disciples to all nations, bringing the message of salvation through Christ to all people. If the Church is Raptured before the Tribulation, it is important that we leave behind an explanation for the trials and judgments those left behind will face.

If we are to endure the period just before the Tribulation period then we will need to be prepared to not only share the message of salvation, but share with them the reasons for God’s judgment and hold it up as further proof of their need to be saved.

Let’s begin by looking at some of the prophetic signs that God gave us as a warning of as the end of the age approaches. Many of them are being fulfilled now and many will be fulfilled in the near future.

Mat 24:1-3, And Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. And He answered and said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here shall be left upon another, which will not be torn down.” And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

Notice the Lord Jesus Christ was asked after He said, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?” He told His apostles to look for the following signs prior to his second coming and the end of the age.

1. There will be False Prophets and Christs.

Mat 24:4, And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.”

Mat 24:11, “And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many.”

In the last generation, many have claimed to be the Messiah. Those of you who are old enough and still alive, remember Jim Jones and David Koresh, or Sun Myung Moon who were examples of these false christs as well as countless others who are not as newsworthy. These false prophets are a prelude to the ultimate false christ, the antichrist....which we will note during this conference in detail and it is shocking who he is going to be and where he is going to come from.

Many New Age groups, some even working for the United Nations, are anxiously awaiting for the anti-christ, preparing the way for his acceptance as the head of the hierarchy of gods and the one who will usher in world peace. In the last century alone there have been at least 50 individuals who have claimed to be the Christ.

2. Our Lord said there would be WARS’ and rumors of wars in Mat 24:6, “And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.”

Rumors of wars in all areas of the world now occur frequently thanks to instant media coverage and the availability of a multitude of 24-hour news sources.

Mat 24:7, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.”

More people have been killed in warfare in the last century than at any other time in human history. And as the death toll rises in the Middle East, more and more countries work feverishly to develop devastating weapons of mass destruction. Add to that the expanding threat of terrorism and unpredictable dictators such as the late Saddam Hussein and many other Arab rulers who have died or are still alive and the potential for the outbreak of war exists in nations, kingdoms and places across the globe.

3. An increase of famines in the last days, Mat 24:7, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.”

Famines have increased as white, Christian farmers are driven out of Africa in increasing numbers, and foreigners move in to replace life-sustaining crops with poppies that now supply 25% of the worlds drugs, famine spreads across the African continent. The undernourished are not limited to Africa, however.

4. Earthquakes. Mat 24:7, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.”

The number and intensity of earthquakes this century is at a level higher than any other time in history. There have been more earthquakes in the last 20 years than in the last 100 years according to the IRIS monitor system.

5. There will be a tremendous amount of Tribulations.

Mat 24:8-9, “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of my name.”

Christians are under attack throughout the world today. In the United States Christians still enjoy freedom to worship God without suffering much more than ridicule, hatred, or discrimination at work and school.

However in many other countries such as China, Sudan, Africa, Saudi Arabia, Korea, Russia, and many Muslim nations, Christian suffer much greater persecution and often times death for their faith. During the tribulation this suffering will be worldwide and will continue even to the point of martyrdom. These first 5 signs will increase in intensity and severity as the tribulation approaches, much like the birth pangs or contractions of a pregnant woman worsen as the delivery time approaches.

6. The Gospel will be preached throughout the World.

Mat 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.”

This prophecy has already been fulfilled through television, radio, missionaries, the translation of the Bible into many languages, and the internet. People all over the world now hear the message of Christ from missionaries who have the means to travel the globe, and via technology that allows us to communicate with people on the other side of the world right from our own homes, churches and offices. There are also 2 characteristics of the end of the age from the Apostle Paul.

1. There will be godlessness in the last days. 2Ti 3:1, But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. Realize is the Greek word ginoske which means to become aware, perceive, understand, Now, what is it that we should know?

The phrase “in the last days” can refer to the last days of the Church-age or the last days of any national entity. The word for difficult is the Greek word chalepoi which means hard, difficult, fierce, violent or dangerous.

All of these words describe for us what type of atmosphere will surface during the last days of the Church-age or the last days of any national entity. It means a very bad time sets in!

In verses 2-4 we have the reason we get into these difficult times. We have a series of descriptions.

2Ti 3:2, for men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

The word for men here means people in general, and they “will be lovers of self”. This self-love leads to self-gratification. Self-love does not mean SSE, it means that they are more interested in taking care of themselves than they are anyone else. They are very selfish. They disregard the welfare and wishes of others. They seek and concentrate on how to promote self without regard for others. They are very self-centered, self-conscious, and they do not relate their life to anyone around them. And, it can happen to anyone.

The apostle Paul described those who are selfish in Phi 2:21, for they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.

Now, the word for lovers of self is adjective philautoi which means to be in love with self, to be selfish and self-centered. It is a compound of the Greek words phileo (love) and autos (self).

2Ti 3:2, For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money,

Lovers of money is the Greek word philarguroi meaning a love for money or a love for the details of life, obsession with materialism. The person who loves money has an inordinate drive for wealth and possessions. And of course the principal is that self-love leads to self-gratification. And self-gratification leads to self-promotion which is trying to promote self. Therefore the next word mentioned is boastful. This is the Greek noun alazones which means braggers, boasters, charlatans, or impostors. This is a tremendous expression of pride. The principal is self-love results in self-gratification, self-gratification leads to self-promotion, self-promotion leads to bragging.

2Ti 3:2, For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant,

Arrogant means a total rejection of God’s plan and God’s grace. Next we have the word revilers, blasphemoi means to slander or to reproach, to insult, to be abusive with your speech. It also means to be vulgar and evil with the tongue, to utter false charges and misrepresentations, to maliciously judge another’s reputation. When you speak evil of others you violate the divine institution number 1, a person’s freedom.

This leads us to 2Ti 3:2, they will be disobedient to parents, (disrespect toward authority). Disobedient to parents is a rejection of basic authority in life. Disobedient is the Greek word apeitheis which means they cannot be persuaded, it means to be stubborn and rebellious.

Disobedient to parents describes the decadence and the down fall of a nation! “disobedient to parents” is the breakdown of divine institution number 3, the family. But it’s because of the breakdown of divine institution number 2, marriage. Basic authority is to be taught in the home.

Young people ought to thank God for your parents if they are teaching you how to respect authority. Such as respect for property; the rights of other; etc. Without it they end up rejecting all kinds of authority. And this results in what is next called, ungrateful…acharistoi - ungrateful, implacable, it means ingratitude or failure to appreciate grace and life. This is where suicide becomes prevalent in a society.

Next we have the word unholy…anosioi which means no appreciation for God. This word describes two kinds of negative volition.

1. The unbelievers negative volition toward the Gospel
2. The believers negative volition toward doctrine.

So we actually have in verse 2 the characteristics of difficult times. Self-love results in self-gratification. Self-gratification leads to self-promotion. Self promotion leads to boasting. Boasting is an expression of arrogance. Arrogance results in blaspheming God. Blaspheming God results in disregard for authority.

2Ti 3:3…they are unloving, astorgoi without natural love or to be void of instinctive affections such as parents to children or children to parents. Think of all the child abuse that goes on in a nation because of this, or the neglect and disrespect that many older children have for their parents. The word also means the inability of expressing love and true affection or to be hard-headed toward your family and loved ones.

In life, if you are going to have order, the man must be the aggressor and the woman must be the responder. That is how God designed man and woman. When they begin to trade roles in the relationship, the Bible calls that “without natural affection.” When the female begins to be the aggressor and the male the responder, the nation is in for it. This is when roles are reversed. This is when hair styles change. Fashions and what people wear become affected. Men start wearing jewelry, earrings. Women begin to dress like men and thus become de-feminized. De-feminization is always a sign of decline and always will lead to the destruction of a nation!

When there’s no natural affection people become what the next word in 2Ti 3:3 calls....irreconcilable. Aspondoi - impossible to satisfy, implacable, not willing to make peace or come to an understanding. It means a person who can never be satisfied or pacified.

The greatest destroyer of the moral and standard lobe are mental attitude sins. Mental attitude sins not only destroy your true godly norms and standards, but they also prohibit any new norms and standards from being developed. And therefore with mental attitude sins destroying norms standards and turning people into animals, people become what verse 3 calls malicious gossips.

The Greek word diaboloi means a treacherous informer, a slanderer, one who makes false accusations. In fact, it’s where we get the word for devil from in the Greek and in the Septuagint, it is translated Satan.

2Ti 3:3, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self‑control, brutal, haters of good, haters of good is really one word, the adjective aphilagathoi which means to be haters of divine good, to be hateful toward virtue, or to be antagonistic toward the means which god has provided to produce divine good.

2Ti 3:4, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;

The Greek word for teacherous is the noun prodotai which means traitors or betrayers. It means that these are people who have a lack of loyalty which causes one to become a traitor. You might as well learn something the easy way through the communication of doctrine rather than the hard way, through experience...and that is that there are some people who will turn on you and betray you no matter what you have done for them. They will steal from you, They will lie about you, and they will be promoted by the devil’s world for doing so.

Conceited is actually a verb, the perf-mid-part of tuphoo which means to have a head filled with smoke. It means there is mass confusion in the head. It also means to inflate with self-conceit and to be blinded by pride.

Lovers of pleasure is next, the adjective philedonoi refers to the fact that when the soul becomes darkened through scar tissue the wild chase for happiness begins. After looking at the importance of the passages that I quote before each service and then some of the signs that will take place before the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

First in the clouds of the air which is called the Rapture, and then when He steps back on the earth which we call the Second Coming or the Second Advent. So we are now ready to note the first time He comes back with an understanding of the doctrine of the Rapture. After observing the signs of the times, what is the next biblical event we are to be expecting?

Well, it is an event that is really brought out in two passages, 1Th 4:13-18, and 1Co 15:51-58.

1Th 4:13-18, But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1Co 15:51-58, Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

The next event in this series “He is coming back” is what is known as the Rapture of the Church and then after that an event known as the Big Genuflex. Therefore, another part of the principle that He is coming back is the Rapture of the Church. Not all Christians believe in the Rapture. The Rapture of the Church is held by two schools of theology. The pre-tribulational view, and the post-tribulational view.

There are also those who do not believe in a Rapture of the Church who are classified as A millennial and Postmillennial theology. Their position is basically promoted through what is known as the “kingdom now theology”, which adheres to the notion that the church will usher in a world peace. Also that our job is to clean up the world, which I personally believe is one of Satan’s greatest counterfeit deceptions.

There are a few different views of the Rapture and I am not going to spend any time on them but tell you what I believe which is known as pre-tribulational Rapture theology, and why I believe it. The main view is that the Lord will remove His church before the great Tribulation, Rev 3:10. This is what I personally believe. Then that the Church will return with Christ at His Second coming to establish the Millennial reign of Christ.

We must begin this subject with some prophecy concerning the future of planet earth. There is a time coming on this earth which is called “Satan’s time of desperation”. It is a period of the greatest power struggle in all of human history. And it involves not only people but angelic creatures as well.

It is not a time that you would want any of your family members, friends, neighbors, and if you truly understood it, even your enemies to have to go through. It is a great period of wrath on this earth, both from God and from Satan, Zep 1:14-18.

Zep 1:14-18, Near is the great day of the Lord, Near and coming very quickly; Listen, the day of the Lord! In it the warrior cries out bitterly. A day of wrath is that day, A day of trouble and distress, A day of destruction and desolation, A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of trumpet and battle cry, Against the fortified cities And the high corner towers.

And I will bring distress on men, So that they will walk like the blind, Because they have sinned against the Lord; And their blood will be poured out like dust, And their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold Will be able to deliver them On the day of the Lord’s wrath; And all the earth will be devoured In the fire of His jealousy, For He will make a complete end, Indeed a terrifying one, Of all the inhabitants of the earth.

It is a time of great judgment on the earth like never before, Rev 6:16-17, and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come; and who is able to stand?”

It is said to be a great time of indignation, Isa 26:20-21.

The hour of testing, Rev 3:10.

Destruction, Joe 1:15, Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is near, And it will come as destruction from the Almighty.

Darkness,

Joe 2:2, A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn is spread over the mountains, {So} there is a great and mighty people; There has never been {anything} like it, Nor will there be again after it To the years of many generations.

Desolation, Dan 9:27.
Punishment, Isa 24:20-21.

It is a very difficult time to be alive and it is called the Tribulation period! The “wrath of God” will be poured out upon the world during the great Tribulation period. And according to the word of God, it is a time that could take place on this earth tomorrow. And this is because of the immanency of the Rapture! The nature of the Tribulation is also one of practical importance.

If the Church is destined to endure the persecutions of the Tribulation, it is hopeless to proclaim the coming of the Lord as an imminent hope. Instead, it should be recognized that Christ cannot come until these predicted sorrows have been accomplished, which is not true. On the other hand, if Christ will come for His church before the predicted time of trouble, Christians can regard His coming as an imminent daily expectation.

So, because of a theological event known as the Rapture, the church, the body of Christ will not go through this period. And this is because the Rapture is used in a technical theological sense for the resurrection of the royal family of God. Since the Church or royal family of God is the first spiritual building to be completed, it is resurrected after our Lord.

It is the second phase of the first resurrection following the resurrection of Christ. And so the Rapture or the resurrection of the Church is God’s means of terminating the Church-age and delivering us from the wrath to come.

1Th 1:9-10, For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.

This is why Tit 2:13 calls the Rapture or the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ, our blessed hope (makarios elpis) or happy guarantee

Tit 2:13, looking for the blessed hope [makarios elpis - happy guarantee] and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus;

So you should know the Rapture is coming. It may not occur in your lifetime or it may occur in your lifetime. But you still know it’s coming. In this way you apply doctrine, you are occupied with the person of Jesus Christ,

All believers can have confidence, hope and a guarantee with regard to the Rapture. The Rapture is a “happy” guarantee or a doctrine which produces confidence. And the confidence is the fact that we have been delivered from the wrath to come.

The Rapture or the resurrection of the church is totally beyond our control because resurrection is the Lord’s victory.

1Co 15:57, Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, the Church-age terminates with the transferring of the church into the Lord’s presence.

The doctrine of the translation of the church is found in many passages.

The promise of the Rapture is found in passages like Joh 14:1‑3, “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, {there} you may be also.”

Because the Church and Israel are two distinct groups with whom God has a divine plan, one has to be taken away while the other is dealt with. And 1Th 5:9 says, God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Therefore, the distinction between the Rapture and the Second advent needs to be understood. Another very important point concerning the Rapture of the Church and the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ will remove the church from this world when that terrible Tribulational period comes is found under the principle of mystery doctrine.

Passages in the New Testament such as Eph 3:1-6; Col 1:25-27; Rom 16:25-26, which all make it crystal clear that the church was a mystery and was not known in the Old Testament. The Church, therefore, could not have been in view in the Old Testament prophecy concerning the Tribulational period which is to come upon the whole earth.

There can be no question that this period will see the wrath of God poured out upon the whole earth. Rev 3:10; Isa 34:2; 24:1,4-5, 16-21 and, many other passages make it very clear as well. And Jer 30:7 says this period is particularly called the time of Jacob’s trouble and Jacob refers to Israel.

In Dan 9:24, God says 70 weeks are determined upon “thy” people (Jews not the church)

Dan 9:24, “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression,”

Note that this whole Tribulational period has special reference to Daniel’s people Israel and Daniel’s holy city, Jerusalem. In the O. T. the seventy weeks of prophecy are weeks of years.

In Gen 29:26-27, and Dan 9:24, one week is equivalent to 7 years. So, 70 times 7 equals 490. So God owes Israel, not the Church, seven years. They have had 69 weeks already, i.e., 483 years. Therefore, the Church has nothing to do with the prophecy of the Tribulation period since the Church did not have its existence until after the death of Christ, Eph 5:25-26, after the resurrection of Christ, Rom 4:25; Col 3:1-3, and after the ascension of Christ, Eph 1:19-20.

Therefore, the Church could not have been in the first 69 weeks of this prophecy. So, since the church had no part in the first 69 weeks which are related only to God’s program for Israel, then it can have no part in the 70th week which is again related to God’s program for Israel.

The Rapture is the blessed hope or the happy guarantee that God is going to take us out from the wrath to come.

1 Th 4:13, But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope.

Please notice the Rapture removes sorrow and grief and gives hope! Rev 2:22 indicates clearly that the unsaved professing church will experience the Tribulational period.

Rev 2:18-22, “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write:  The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this: ‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond‑servants astray, so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.

And I gave her time to repent; and she does not want to repent of her immorality. Behold, I will cast her upon a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. And I will kill her children with pestilence; and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.’”

Remember, the professing church is composed of those who make a profession of faith in Christ. But it’s another Jesus in 2Co 11:4, another spirit in 2Co 11:4, another Gospel in Gal 1:6, another doctrine in 1Ti 4:1. So the true Church will not and cannot go through the Tribulation period which is coming upon this earth and therefore the church must be taken out from the earth which is what we call the Rapture. In fact, Rev 3:10 also describes this principle, Rev 3:10, ‘Because you have kept the word of my perseverance, I also will keep you from or take you out from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth.

Rev 13 makes it clear that all who are in the 70th week or the Tribulation period are brought into subjection to the beast and through him to Satan who gives the beast power.

Rev 13:1-9, And he stood on the sand of the seashore. And 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. 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. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; and they worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?” And there was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies; and authority to act for forty‑two months [3 12 years] was given to him. And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the lamb who has been slain. If anyone has an ear, let him hear.

If the Church were in this period she would be subjected to Satan and Christ would either lose His place as head or because of His union with the Church, He would be also subjected to Satan’s authority. Such a thing is unthinkable and blasphemous!

Phi 2:9-10, Therefore also the God has highly exalted Him to the maximum, and bestowed on Him the name or rank which is above every name, in order that at the title of Jesus every knee of the heavens should bow [that’s the big Genuflex], and on earth [believers who are alive at the Rapture], and the ones under the earth [unbelievers],

So the order of events which will take place needs to be noted.

1. The Rapture.
   2. The Big Genuflex.
   3. The Judgment Seat of Christ.
   4. The Second Coming.

Let’s look at the Doctrine of the Rapture.

The Rapture is used in a technical theological sense for the resurrection of the royal family of God. Since the Church or royal family of God is the first spiritual building to be completed, it is resurrected after our Lord. It is the second phase of the first resurrection following the resurrection of Christ. Christ is resurrected, ascended, and seated at the right hand of the Father as part of the strategic victory of the angelic conflict. This is known as our Lord’s battlefield royalty. This is His only royalty with no family.

Therefore, God interrupted the Jewish Age with the Church Age to call out and provide a royal family of God. Once the royal family of God is completed, the Church is resurrected as the body of Christ to become the bride of Christ. The Church Age is that period of human history when the Royal family of God is being formed on earth, Eph 1:22‑23, 2:16, 4:4‑5; Col 1:18, 24, 2:19.

When the royal family of God is completed, then the Rapture occurs, 1Th 4:16‑18; 1Co 15:51‑58. During the conclusion of the Jewish Age, the bride is prepared in heaven by receiving a resurrection body exactly like that of the Lord. Then comes the Big Genuflex and acknowledgment of Christ, Phi 2:9-11, Rom 14:11.

Rom 14:11, For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall give praise to God.”

Then comes the Judgment Seat of Christ, when all Church Age believers are evaluated and rewarded, 2Co 5:10, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Point 2 deals with Biblical principles that establish the Bi­blical position of a pre-Tribulational Rapture of the church.

1) The great Tribulation is punishment for a Christ-rejecting world, and the nation of Israel, who rejected her Messiah, REV 6:12-17.

REV 6:12-17, And I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. And the sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

And the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come; and who is able to stand?”

2) The nature of the church, and the promises of Christ forbid the church from going thro­ugh the great Tribulation.

For example, the nature of the Church Col 1:22, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach‑‑

The promise of Christ Heb 13:5, “for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”

3) There must be an interval of time between the Rapture and the Second Coming.

This is when the Judgment Seat of Christ takes place and believers either receive rewards or lose rewards, 1Co 3:11-15, 2Co 5:10.

4) The scripture’s which deal with the great tribulation have particular reference to the Jew, Mat 24:1-31; Mar 13:14; Luk 21:23-36.

In Mat 24:1-2, And Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. And He answered and said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here shall be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”

What was He talking about? He’s talking about a Jewish Temple not a Christian Church.

MAT 24:3-9, And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what {will be} the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.

“For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened, for {those things} must take place, but {that} is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are {merely} the beginning of birth pangs. Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name.”

This is a reference to the Jewish nation.

Mat 24:15, “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),”

The abomination of desolation has to do with Jerusalem and the Temple, Dan 11:31, “And 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.”

Look at Mat 24:16, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains;

Where?
Judea!
Not the USA!
Judea, in Israel!

Look at Mat 24:20, “But pray that your flight may not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath;”

Why does it say the Sabbath? Because we are talking to the Jews not to Christians. The Sabbath is for the Jews only, Exo 31:16.

Mat 24:21-22, “for then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall. And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short.”

Mat 24:29-32, “But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken, and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. Now learn the parable from the fig tree [Israel]: when its branch has already become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near;”

Who is the fig tree?

Mat 21:18-19, Now in the morning, when He returned to the city, He became hungry. And seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it, and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He said to it, “No longer shall there ever be {any} fruit from you.” And at once the fig tree withered.

In Luk 13:6, the fig tree represents the nation of Israel, And He {began} telling this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it, and did not find any.

So in Mat 24:33-34, even so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, {right} at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.”

In Mat 24:37-42, “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there shall be two men in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women {will be} grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.”

Notice that the Sabbath is used, Mat 24:20. Jerusalem is trodden under, Luk 21:24. Kingdom of God is near and at hand, Mat 24:14. The Church is never mentioned; Temple implied; abomination of desolation denoted.

5) The Tribulation is mentioned as a gross time of darkness, evil, and sin, where none have faith.  Isa 60:2; Jer 13:16; Luk 18:8.

6) Satan persecutes the women in the Tribulation (Israel).  The church is not to come under condemnation.  Rev 12:1-4; Rom 5:9; 8:1; 1Th 1:10; 5:9; 1Co 15:55-57; 1Th 4:13-18.

7) The Church is not of the world.  Joh 17:14; Phi 3:20; 2Ti 2:3-4. The Church is a spirit­ual extension of Jesus Christ, with promises that are heavenly related.  Eph 1:3; 2:6.

8) Christ is preparing a home for His body the Church, and has promised to return and to take His bride back with Him, Joh 14:3; 1Th 4:13-17. Joh 14:3, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, {there} you may be also.”

9) The Church has been promised deliverance from the wrath to come. Rom. 5:9; 1Th 1:10; 5:9; Rev 3:10. 1Th 1:10, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.

10) The believer is told to watch, or have an attitude of anticipation for the Lord’s coming. If believer’s are to go through the great Tribulation, they would be advised to watch for the signs of the prophecies of the coming of Jacob’s trouble, Rom 8:23; 1Co 1:7; Gal 5:5. Tit 2:11-13. Rom 8:22-23, For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. Why would we groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body? Or in 1Co 1:7 await eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ? Or in Tiy 2:13 look for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus;

11) God has always protected His people in unique fashions in the face of judgment. Enoch before the flood; 2Pe 2:6-8. Lot from Sodom and Gomorrah.

12) The instructions by the apostle Paul never include any preparation or warning that the church will encounter the great Tribulation.

13) If the Church goes through the Tribulation then the Jew’s as well as the Gentiles of the Tribulation period would become part of the Church. After the Tribulation the Jew­ish remnant would go into the promised earthly Millennial reign; but the Gentiles of the Church would be caught up to be with Christ in glory. The body of Christ would become dismembered.

14) The church at Thessalonica would not be concerned of any disadvantage of the dead in Christ if those who were alive had to go through the great Tribulation, 1Th 1:4.

15) The message of the church is the message of the Gospel of grace, and peace which se­cured at the cross by Jesus the Christ. Eph 2:8-10. The message of the great Tribula­tion is one of God’s judgment. Rev 7:4-8; 12:17; 19:10; Mat 24:14. Rev 12:17, And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

16) The iniquity of the anti-Christ cannot be released until the Holy Spirit, the restrainer is removed with the Church. 2Th 2:3-7 (mystery of lawlessness). 2Th 2:3-10, 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. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?

And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he may be revealed. 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. And 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; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 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.

17) The church is called to pray for those in authority 1Ti 2:2; if the church was on earth in the great Tribulation why would those who come through the great Tribulation pray for the de­struction of those in authority? Rev 6:10.

18) Christ’s return for His church is unconditional, and He returns to heaven, Joh 14:1-3. The great tribulation is conditional, and based upon the abomination of desolation. Mat 24:15-16.

19)  Christ returns for His bride in the air and does not touch down upon the earth at the Rapture. He then returns to Heaven. Joh 14:1-3; at the second coming he comes down to the earth.

20) The bema seat judgment takes place after the Rapture. All believer’s will be judged according to their works. Wood hay or straw, or gold, silver, and precious stones. This represents the divine production in the Spirit or in the flesh. 1Co 3:12-15.

21) Time is needed for the bema seat, and the marriage of the Lamb, and His pure bride dressed in white, the Church. The seven years of the great tribulation provides for this time.

22) The Rapture is a mystery and secret, the second coming is a world display of power.

1Co 15:51-58, Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

23). The Rapture comes at a time of false peace and safety. The promise of the anti-Christ. 1Th 5:2-3, For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

24) After the Rapture (Rev 4) the day of the Lord begins with the opening of the first seal, Rev 5.

25) The Church is never mentioned from Rev 4-19.

26) The 144,00 Jews from Twelve Tribes; the two prophet’s probably Elijah and Moses and the angel witness the gospel, Rev 11:3.

The Church is never mentioned as fulfilling Her great commission during the great Tribulation. So the hope of the Church is the return of Christ at the Rapture, who will deliver them from the greatest outpouring of judgment in the history of the universe, Tit 2:11- 13; 1Th 1:10; 4:18; 5:11.

As we conclude our study on the fact that our Lord is coming back we are now noting how the Antichrist will be the physical son of Satan—a position different from a lot of so-called scholars who I believe forget the importance of the counterfeit ministry of Satan. In fact, we noting the importance of this principle when we look at what we call the unholy trinity. The unholy trinity refers to Satan [the father]. the anti-Christ [the son and therefore Satan's son] and the false prophet [counterfeit spirit who is the messenger for the anti-Christ].

Joh 5:36-42, “But the witness which I have is greater than that of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish, the very works that I do, bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. And the Father who sent Me, He has borne witness of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. And you do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent. You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life. I do not receive glory from men; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves.”

Here is the passage in Joh 5:43, “I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another shall come in his own name, you will receive him.”

The point is that when the son of Satan comes in keeping with our Lord's predictions in Joh 5:43, he will exercise a prophetic office even to the extent of working miracles (Rev 13:13-14).  In Rev 13:11 we read once again And I saw another beast [the counterfeit spirit from Satan] coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon.

Rev 13:12-18, And 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. And 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 there was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast might 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 should 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.

What I want you to notice is that the anti-christ is not a system, it is not a reference to a church found in Rome but “he” is a literal person. And the question we should have is that if he is a literal person, who is he, is he alive right now, and where is he, and when will he come on the scene?

Let's continue then with some principles concerning the place of the anti-Christ, is he real and where should we expect him to come from. What should we expect from him? We already noted many passages in the Old Testament which from the original language refers to him as a person with different titles. In fact, like his father Satan, we really don't know his real name but in reality we saw some of his titles. Such as:
“Asshur”
“the Crooked Serpent”
“the Bloody and Deceitful Man”
“the Wicked One”
“the Man of the Earth”
“the “Mighty Man”
“the Adversary”
“the Head over many countries”
“the Evil Man”
“the Violent Man”
“the Assyrian”
“the Rod” of God's anger
“the Wicked”
“the King of Babylon”
the “Spoiler”
the destroyer of the Gentiles”
the “Enemy”
the “Cruel One”

He is not just an antichrist, he is the Antichrist.

But again look at Joh 5:43, “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”

These words were spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ, and the occasion on which they were uttered and the connection in which they are found, warn us about who the anti-Christ will be and where he will come from. The chapter opens by revealing the Savior healing the impotent man who lay by the pool of Bethesda. This occurred on the Sabbath day, and the enemies of Christ made it the occasion for a vicious attack upon Him:

Joh 5:16-27, And for this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.” For this cause therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. Jesus therefore answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and greater works than these will He show Him, that you may marvel. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, in order that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear shall live. For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.”

Notice that in response, the Lord made a detailed declaration of His Divine glories. He appealed to those who bore testimony to His Deity. For example, the Father Himself (v. 32) ; John the Baptist (v. 33); His own works (v. 36) ; and the Scriptures (v. 39). Then He turned to those who were opposing Him and said, in verse 40-43  “And ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life.  But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.  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” And this was immediately followed by this searching question—”How can ye believe who receive honor (glory) one of another, and seek not the honor (glory) that cometh from God only?” (v. 44).

These Jews received glory from one another; they did not seek it from God, for they had not the love of God in them. Therefore it was that the One who had come to them in the Father's name, and who “received not glory from men” (v. 41) was rejected by them. And just as Eve's rejection of the word of God's truth laid her open to accept the serpent's lie, so Israel's rejection of the true Messiah has prepared them, morally, to receive the false Messiah, for he will come in his own name, doing his own pleasure, and will “receive glory from men.”

Joh 5:41-44, “I do not receive glory from men; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another shall come in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another, and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?”

So, the future appearing of this one who shall “come in his own name” was announced, then, by the Lord Himself.

Let's look therefore at the term anti-christ.

The term “Antichrist” whether employed in the singular or the plural, denotes a person or persons, and never a system. We may speak correctly of an anti-Christian system, just as we may refer to a Christian organization; but it is just as erroneous to refer to any system or organization as ''the Antichrist” or “an antichrist”, as it would be to denominate any Christian system or organization “the Christ”, or “a Christ.”

Just as truly as the Christ is the title of a single person, the Son of God, so the Antichrist will be a single person, the son of' Satan. According to the Bible the Antichrist will be a descendant of Abraham, a Jew. I will reveal to you some passages that teach that he is none but a full-blooded Jew and that is why he will be able to palm himself off on the Jewish people as their long-expected Messiah. Here is an argument that has been ignored by those who believe that the pope is the Man of Sin. Biblically speaking, no Israelite has ever occupied the pope's position in Rome.

Zec 11:16-17, “For behold, I am going to raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for the perishing, seek the scattered, heal the broken, or sustain the one standing, but will devour the flesh of the fat sheep and tear off their hoofs. Woe to the worthless shepherd Who leaves the flock! A sword will be on his arm And on his right eye! His arm will be totally withered, And his right eye will be blind.”

This is a literal physical description of the anti-Christ! He will be a shepherd in the land who will not care for the perishing, seek the scattered, heal the broken, or sustain the one standing, but will devour the flesh of the fat sheep and tear off their hoofs. He is called a worthless shepherd who leaves the flock! And notice in verse 17, a sword will be on his arm And on his right eye! His arm will be totally withered, And his right eye will be blind.”

“The land” is, of course, Palestine, as is ever the case in Scripture with this expression. This could not possibly apply to the line of the Popes. In 2Th  2:4 we learn that the Man of Sin shall sit “in the Temple of God”, and St. Peter's at Rome cannot possibly be called that. The “Temple” in which the Antichrist shall sit will be the rebuilt temple of the Jews, and that will be located not in Italy but in Jerusalem. The Antichrist will be received by the Jews because they will believe that he is Jewish. This is clear from the passage which I quoted in John in 5:23 which says “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”; The Jews have never yet owned allegiance to any Pope. And also remember the Antichrist will make a Covenant with the Jews in Dan 9:27. Not the Italians!

Dan 9:24-27, “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place. So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty‑two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. Then after the sixty‑two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

All this takes place in Jerusalem not in Rome! We know of no record upon the scroll of history of any pope having ever made a seven-year Covenant with the Jews! In Dan 11:45, “And he will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him. The person referred to here is, again, the Antichrist, as noted back in verse 36 where this section of the chapter begins.

Dan 11:36, “Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done.”

This is more than sufficient to identify with certainty the one spoken of in the last verse of Dan 11. The Antichrist, then, will plant the tabernacles of his palace “between the seas”, that is, between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. No way can this be made to apply to the pope, for his palace, the Vatican, is located in the capital city of Italy. And that is why in Dan 9 it shows that he will make his seven-years' Covenant with the Jews at the beginning of the last of the seventy “weeks” which is to bring in “the end” of Israel's sins and “finish the transgression” (9:24). If the time of the Antichrist's manifestation is yet future then it necessarily follows that Rome cannot be the Antichrist. The Antichrist will deny both the Father and the Son: “He is Antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son” (l John 2:22). This scripture does not speak of virtual, but of actual and formal denial. And Rome has always maintained in her councils and creeds, her symbols of faith and worship, that there are three persons in the Godhead, Father, Son and he Holy Spirit. Since the time of the Council of Trent (1563 A. D.), every Roman Catholic has had to confess “I believe in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit. The pope acknowledges both the Father and the Son: he confesses himself to be both the servant of God and His worshipper; he blesses the people not in his own name, but in that of the Holy Trinity. Yes he may be involved in apostasy but he cannot be the anti-Christ. The Antichrist is described as the one ““who opposeth 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” (2Th. 2: 4).

This is what the Popes have never done. Not even Pope Leo ventured to deify himself or supersede God. The Popes have made many false and impious claims for themselves; but they have never tried to take the role of the Father even though they have taught another Jesus, Gospel, Spirit and doctrine. So the Antichrist will be received by the Jews.
The Antichrist will make a Covenant with the Jews in Dan 9:24-27.
The Antichrist will deny both the Father and the Son: “He is Antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son” (l John 2:22).
The Antichrist is described as the one ““who opposeth 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” (2Th 2: 4).

The very name “Antichrist” argues strongly his Jewish nationality. This title “Antichrist” has a double significance. It means that he will be one who shall be “opposed” to Christ, one who will be His enemy. It also teaches that he will be a mock Christ, an imitation Christ, a pro-Christ, a pseudo Christ.

It intimates that he will copy Christ. He will pose as the real Messiah of Israel. In such case he must be a Jew. This mock Christ will be “received” by Israel. The Jews will be deceived by Him because they will believe that he is indeed their long-expected Messiah. They will accept him as such.

The Antichrist Will Be The Son Of Satan.
That Satan will have a son ought not to surprise us.
The Devil is the #1 imitator and much of his success in deceiving men is due to his marvelous skill in counterfeiting the things of God. Do we read of Christ going forth to sow the “good seed” (Mat 13:24), then we also read of the enemy going forth to sow his “tares”-- an imitation wheat (Mat 13:25). Do we read of “the children of God,” then we also read of “the children of the wicked one” (Mat 13:38). Do we read of God working in His children “both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13), then we are also told that the Prince of the power of the air is “the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience” (Eph 2:2). Do we read of the Gospel of God, then we also read that Satan has a Gospel -- “Another gospel, which is not another” (Gal 1:6-7). Did Christ appoint “apostles,” then Satan has his apostles too (2Co 11:13).

Are we told that “the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1Co  2:10), then Satan also provides his “deep things” (Rev 2:24). Are we told that God, by His angel, will “seal” His servants in their foreheads (Rev. 7:3), so also we read that Satan, by his angels, will set a mark in the foreheads of his devotees (Rev 13:16). Does the Father seek “worshippers” (John 4:23), so also does Satan (Rev. 13:4). Did Christ quote scripture, so also did Satan (Mat 4:6). Is Christ the Light of the world, then Satan also is transformed as an “angel of light” (2Co 11:14). Is Christ denominated “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Rev 5:5), then the Devil is also referred to as “a roaring lion” (1Pe 5:6).

Do we read of Christ and “His angels” (Mat 24:31), then we also read of the Devil and “his angels” (Mat 25:41). Did Christ work miracles, so also will Satan (2Th 2:9). Is Christ seated upon a “Throne,” so also will Satan be (Rev 2:13). Has Christ a Church, then Satan has his “synagogue” (Rev 2:9). Has Christ a “bride,” then Satan has his “whore” (Rev 17). Has God His “Vine,” so has Satan (Rev 14:19). Does God have a city, the new Jerusalem, then Satan has a city, Babylon (Rev 17:5; 18:2). Is there a “mystery of godliness” (1Ti3:16), so also there is a “mystery of iniquity” (2Th 2:7).

Does God have an only-begotten Son, so we read of “the Son of Perdition” (2Th 2:3). Is Christ called “the Seed of the woman,” then the Antichrist will be “the seed of the serpent” (Gen 3:15). Is the Son of God also the Son of Man, then the son of Satan will also be the “Man of Sin” (2Th 2:3). Is there a Holy Trinity, then there is also an Evil Trinity (Rev. 20:10). Is there a Holy Trinity, then there is also an Evil Trinity (Rev. 20:10).

In this Trinity of Evil Satan himself is supreme, just as in the Blessed Trinity the Father is (governmentally) supreme: note that Satan is referred to as a father (Joh 8:44, etc.). Unto his son, the Antichrist, Satan gives his authority and power to represent and act for him (Rev 13:4) just as God the Son received “all power in heaven and earth” from His Father, and uses it for His glory.

Rev 13:4, and they worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?”

The Dragon (Satan) and the Beast (Antichrist) are accompanied by a third, the False Prophet. And just as the third person in the Holy Trinity, the Spirit, bears witness to the person and work of Christ and glorifies Him, so shall the third person in the Evil Trinity bear witness to the person and work of the Antichrist and glorify him (see Rev 13:11-14). Now the Antichrist will be a man, and yet more than man, just as Christ was Man and yet more than man. The Antichrist will be the Superman' of whom the world, even now, is talking, and for whom it is looking. The Wicked One who is to be revealed shortly, will be a supernatural character, he will be the Son of Satan. His twofold nature is plainly declared in 2Th 2:3 -- “That man of Sin, the Son of Perdition.”

The point I want to make is that Antichrist will be a super-human being, a fallen and unclean spirit a stated in Mat 12. In John 17:12 we have a word which, more plainly still, shows that the Antichrist will have something to do with Judas Iscariot for here he is termed by Christ “The Son of Perdition.” Joh 17:12, “While I was with them, I was keeping them in Thy name which Thou hast given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”

But first, let us consider the teaching of Scripture concerning Judas Iscariot. Who was he?  He was a “man,” Mat 26:24,“The Son of Man is to go, just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”

However, he is described as more than a man? Let the Scripture answer. In Joh 6:70, “Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a Devil?” In the Greek there are two different words for “Devil” and “demon.” There are many demons, but only one Devil. Further, in no other passage is the word “devil” applied to any one but to Satan himself. As we have seen, in Joh 17:12 Christ termed Judas “the Son of Perdition,” and 2Th 2:3 we find that the Antichrist is designated in a similar way.

These are the only two places in all the Bible where his name occurs, and the fact that Judas was termed by Christ not a “son of perdition,” but “the Son of Perdition” is very interesting. Many believe the Man of Sin is so named prove that they are one and the same person. In Rev 11:7 we have the first reference to “the Beast” in the book of Revelation,

Rev 11:7, And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them.

Notice here that the first Beast comes out of the Abyss or the bottomless pit.” Here the Antichrist is seen issuing forth from the Abyss. What is the