The Coming Antichrist

The title to the study tonight is: The Coming Antichrist. We have already been introduced to the antichrist in the book of Daniel, but tonight we’re going to gain some more information. It’s probably the one chapter in the book of Daniel that has the most information about this man we call the antichrist or this man of sin.

This prophecy is given to us in Daniel 11. As I said, it started in Daniel 10. If you go back with me and look at the first verse it says, “In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar.” Now go with me to Daniel 11:1. It says, “Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him.” This prophecy basically has two sections. The first section runs from verses 2-35. It’s a very big section involving prophecies that are already for us right now history. In other words, they were prophecies when Daniel received them, but they’ve already been fulfilled. In Daniel 11:36-45, those are prophecies that are still yet future for us. (I wasn’t going to throw the chart up this early, but if you can throw that up on the screen for me, Kenny, I’d appreciate it.) I want you to look at the chart on the screen again (I had passed that out a couple of weeks ago). You see the yellow section on the far left there encompasses the 483 years or what Bible students actually call the 69 weeks; that is, during that period before the cross, from 445 B.C. up until the death of Jesus Christ, these first 35 verses were fulfilled. They have taken place during that period and time.

The second section of the book, verses 36-45, on the chart would take place during the time of the tribulation and you see that seven-year period, which is the last period of the 70 weeks of Daniel. So, you have the 69 weeks making 483 years, then the 7 weeks, that makes a total of 490 years—the 70 sevens. That 70th week, or the tribulation, is yet future. Sometimes it really just is amazing to stop and think that the world yet still is going to have a time of trouble and tribulation—the worst it’s ever experienced on planet earth. It’s going to be seven years of judgment, and the last three-and-a-half years of the great tribulation God is actually going to be pouring out His wrath upon this Christ-rejecting world. We see the stage set today for what we know as that last seven-year period to fulfill God’s prophetic Word to Daniel in chapter 9; that is, He will bring the Messiah, establish His kingdom, and will fulfill His promises for the nation. We will then be introduced to the Kingdom Age (which is the thousand-year reign of Christ), the Great White Throne judgment where the wicked dead are resurrected (Revelation 20), and then the New Heaven and New Earth, the eternal state. This is all yet future for us. Just as sure as God fulfilled the first 35 verses of what we read tonight in chapter 11, He will fulfill the last half of these prophecies, and He will come again. The antichrist will be revealed, His wrath will be poured out, He will set up His kingdom, and it will flow into the eternal state or the Kingdom of God.

Going back to Daniel 11:1. (You can take the image down now, thank you, off the screen.) The speaker is actually the angel that came to Daniel at the end of chapter 10. When it says there, “Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him,” he’s talking about his coming to this ruler and giving him strength during the first year of the reign of Darius the Median. Again, what we’re going to read now covers the first 69 weeks. Get your pencils and notes ready because I’m just going to survey this. There are really four divisions in this first section. What he is going to do is focus in on the Persian Empire, then the Grecian Empire, and after that broke up after Alexander the Great, the Egyptian and Syrian Empires. It goes into a lot of detail about the wars and fightings that went on. Israel was in the middle of it all. Remember, it all pertains to the nation of Israel and to God’s future and plans for them.

In verse 2 we have reference to the Persian Empire (if you want to make a note of that). It says, “And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth,” is the one that he focuses on, “shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia.” The first thing he says is that I stood to strengthen or confirm Darius, but then he mentions the Persian Empire. There was the Medo-Persian Empire, and we see here that Persia took precedence over the Median Empire, but the fourth king is actually Artaxerxes who was the king during the time of Ester or the book of Ester. Now, that is a reference in verse 2 to that period of time, and he gives the description that there will be four kings. The fourth king shall be stronger, richer, and more powerful than these other kings. King Artaxerxes was known for his wealth, splendor, majesty, and his ability to also put an army together of two-and-a-half million soldiers.

Verses 3-4 is a reference to the Grecian Empire, which in Daniel’s time was still yet future. It’s amazing the accuracy in which this is fulfilled. Again, this is why critics attack not only the book of Daniel but especially chapters 11 here where they feel that this couldn’t have been written before the events, but actually God knows all things and can clearly predict what the future holds. In verses 3-4 we have the Grecian Empire. It says, “And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.” That mighty king is Alexander the Great. That’s who is being prophesied in that section. You actually have some amazing references here to the queens and daughters that are exchanged. Cleopatra is referenced in this chapter. There are actually 135 prophecies fulfilled in the first 35 verses of Daniel 11. That’s how amazing this section is—135 prophecies in history that have already been fulfilled in these first 35 verses.

“And when he,” Alexander the Great (verse 4) “shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds,” history tells us that Alexander the Great died at an early age, (like 30, 33) and wept because there were no more worlds to conquer. His kingdom was not left to his family or to his own sons but divided among his generals. Notice what it says in verse 4. It says, “…and not to his posterity,” a fascinating prophecy in which was fulfilled, “nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.” This is the Grecian Empire, and it was divided into four empires.

The next focus is two of them, verses 5-20 and even beyond, I’ll explain it beginning in verse 21. These two kingdoms are referred to “the king of the south,” (verse 5) and then we’ll have a reference to the king of the north (verse 8). The king of the south is Egypt. It was the Ptolemies. The king of the north was Syria, and that was the Seleucids that came out of Alexander the Great’s kingdom. Notice in verse 5, “the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion.” It goes on to describe, in very great detail, the wars and fightings that took place between Syria and Egypt—between Ptolemy and the Seleucids.

Why does God give and record this for us? Because Israel was right in the middle of these battles and Daniel wanted to know what the future held for the nation of Israel. They would actually be sandwiched between Syria and Egypt. If you get a map, (we hear a lot about Syria today in the news, we’re not hearing a lot about Egypt recently) between Egypt and Syria lies the nation of Israel. As they would fight and go through, they would actually destroy the Jews as they were fighting and going through the land. The passage is also given to us because of the historical setting for the man who is yet future; that is, the antichrist. We get him in verse 21. He is known as Antiochus Epiphanes. Thirdly, these verses are given to show us God’s Word is true. As I mentioned, 135 prophecies are fulfilled from verse 2 down to verse 35. He mentions again the king of the north (verse 8), which would be Syria and the Seleucids, and the king of the south. If you really want to be blessed tonight, before you go to bed (it will actually put you to sleep) go home and read it. It’ll help you fall asleep, but read it in a modern translation. I’m not even going to attempt it, but I want you to jump down to verse 21.

We’re introduced to a later king in the Seleucid kingdom of Syria. We’ve already been introduced to him in the book of Daniel. He is called a “vile person” in verse 21. “And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.” This king is actually a reference to a man by the name of Antiochus Epiphanes. It’s a name that he took on for himself, which actually means that he believed he was God. It’s like, “I am God,” or “I am God in the flesh,” Epiphanes. He is called here a “vile person.” Why is he given to us in the Scripture? Because he is a prototype or a picture of the antichrist who is going to come yet future. When you read the passage, a lot of people get the two confused as to which one is Antiochus Epiphanes and which is the antichrist, but from verses 21-35 the reference is to Antiochus Epiphanes. Beginning in verse 36, we have a reference to the antichrist who is yet future for us today. This was a “vile person,” a king, that came out of the kingdom of the Seleucids. He came from Syria in the north.

What we’re reading here actually took place between the testaments. You say, “What do you mean by that?” I mean, between the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, and the first book of the New Testament, Matthew, there is a 400-year gap. Between the Old and New Testaments you have a 400-year gap called by Bible scholars the silent years because we don’t have any Scripture or reference to what took place during that time other than what we’re reading about here, but there was no revelation of God during the period between the books of Malachi and Matthew.

Notice what it says about this man called Antiochus Epiphanes who prefigures the antichrist. First, (verse 21) he is a vile person. Second, “he shall come in peaceably.” In Revelation 6 the antichrist comes on a white horse and has a bow with no arrows. It’s a symbol of him coming in peace. He does make a covenant with the nation of Israel for seven years, which is as we looked at the chart just a minute ago, the tribulation period—the 70th week of Daniel or the last seven-year period. That’s the covenant that he makes. This man, Antiochus, prefigures this future antichrist who will come on the world scene. He is also called back in Daniel 8:9 the “little horn” that sprang up during that time. In verse 22 it says, “And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. 23 And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully,” he made this league and it was deceitful. Again, it pre-pictures the coming of the antichrist. Verse 24, “He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.” As Antiochus was in the north, he would come down and attack in Egypt. This is actually describing his campaigns as he would come down and attack Egypt. When he would go back through the land of Israel, he hated the Jewish people and would attack, persecute, murder, and kill them.

In verses 25-28 describes the war he had with Egypt. Verse 25 says, “And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south,” a reference to Egypt. In verse 28, “Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land.” It’s a description of the fact that he would leave Syria, come down to Egypt, attack the Egyptians, then attack the Jews and go back to the land of Israel. In verse 29 it says, “At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south,” at the end of his reign there he has gone back down to Egypt. This is actually his second invasion, and it says “it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. 30 For the ships of Chittim,” which is a reference to Rome, and it’s important to note that, “shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. 31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.”

What happened was, as he went down to Egypt and when he got to Egypt, the Romans came. The Romans actually confronted him and said, “We don’t want you to attack Egypt anymore. We don’t want you to fight against Egypt anymore. We want you to go back to Syria. If you do, we’re going to wipe you out or kill you.” They even drew a circle around him in the sand and said, “You have to decide right now before you step out of that circle whether or not you’re going to fight now or go back. If you don’t, then we’re just going to kill you right here.” He was frustrated, angry, and unsuccessful in his campaign against the Egyptians, so Antiochus turned back to go to Syria. On his way back to Syria, he took out his anger and frustration on the Jews by going into the temple and (I want you to notice in verse 31) he took away the daily sacrifice, made the place an abomination, and made it desolate. This is what Jesus would refer to in Matthew 24 (and we’re going to get it later in this prophecy) as the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet. This was a prefigure of what the antichrist is going to do when he erects an image of himself in the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem during the time of the tribulation and commands everyone to worship him and desecrates the temple. Antiochus went into the temple and destroyed it. He destroyed and took down the altar and set up an altar to the Greek god Zeus in the temple of Jerusalem. Then he sacrificed a pig in the Jewish temple. Now, this would not make the Jews happy, right? He took the swine broth and strew it all over the temple. Eighty thousand Jews were slaughtered by Antiochus Epiphanes during this time. He was just a wicked, crazy, out-of-control madman; but it all prefigured the antichrist who would come. There would be a rebuilt temple, and he would set up his image in that rebuilt temple.

Notice in verse 32 it says, “And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” It’s very possible that little statement about “the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits,” is a direct reference to what was called the Maccabean Revolt. Under a man by the name Judas Maccabeus, the Jews revolted against Antiochus Epiphanes. They wiped him out, went in and restored the temple, and renewed the sacrifices. Today, what we have in celebration of that Maccabean Revolt is what we call Hanukkah. When the Jews celebrate Hanukkah, it’s the restoring of the temple, the candles being lit again, and God miraculously keeping the candles lit for seven or eight days, so they celebrate Hanukkah as a result of these Jews that knew God, were strong, and did exploits. I think the same thing is true of us as believers. If we know and trust God, the troublous and difficult times are opportunities for us to do exploits, to trust in God, and do great things.

It says, “And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.” Again, this is talking about the slaughter that Antiochus brought upon the Jews during that intertestamental period of time. “Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. 35 And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end,” notice that reference to the time of the end, “because it is yet for a time appointed.”

As you come into verse 36, (believe it or not I was trying to do everything I could just to get to verse 36, so that is all just an introduction) it’s the future aspect of the prophecy for us right now. To think that God spoke about what was going to happen before it happened and it happened, why wouldn’t God’s future prophecies still yet come true or be fulfilled? So, what God has spoken cannot be broken. God will keep His Word. Beginning in verse 36 down to verse 45, we’re going to be talking about the antichrist. As we cover these verses, what I’m going to try to do is give you the 12 prophecies (and you can break them up into more or less, but there are 12 prophecies) about the antichrist. If you’re taking notes I want you to write them down from verses 36-45.

The first prophecy is that he will act in self will. This is the Old Testament prophesying about the antichrist. Before we get into that, can you throw the chart back up on the screen again real quickly? I want to explain where this antichrist comes into the picture on this scene. I believe that the church, which you see in the Church Age…by the way, that has now been over two thousand years from the cross of Christ to the rapture of the church. That is a parentheses or a parenthetical section of this 490 years. During this time, God is gathering together His body, His bride, made up of Jews and Gentiles. It is also known as the period of grace where we’re saved by God’s grace. The Bible says in Romans that when the fulness of the Gentiles have come in that God, once again, is going to begin to work with the Jewish people as a nation. There is indication in 2 Thessalonians 2 (if we have time we’re going to turn there in just a moment) that in order for the antichrist and for the tribulation to happen, the church has to be caught up to be with the Lord so that the restraining force is pulled back and this man of sin, this antichrist, this son of perdition, can come on the scene. I said all that basically to say that it’s my belief Biblically that the rapture, which is the Lord coming to catch the church up to meet Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4, John 14), happens before the tribulation. This is what is known as pre-tribulationism or that the rapture happens before the tribulation. What that means is, if you’re a Christian, you won’t be here during the tribulation; and I believe that with all my heart. I believe that God has not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.

There are a lot of Christians that want to go through the tribulation—go for it! I think if you’re born again you’re going to get raptured whether you like it or not. “Well, I’m gonna nail my shoes to the floor. I won’t let myself go up,” you know. You’re going to go up. If you’re a part of the church, you’re going to be raptured. You’re going to be caught up, and we’re going to be in heaven. By the way, when they’re having tribulation on earth, we’re going to be having the marriage supper of the Lamb. We’re going to be eating heavenly mashed potatoes and get rewarded, praising God and hanging out. Then, see the second coming at the end of the tribulation seven years later? We come back with Christ! We come back in glorified bodies riding on white horses. That’s what is called the manifested sons of God, and then there’s the Millennial Kingdom on earth. So, I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture. I believe the rapture has to happen for the antichrist to be revealed—that restraining force is pulled back and allows the antichrist to be revealed. Any attempt to figure out who the antichrist is at this time is futile, vain, and it’s kind of stupid because we’re not looking for the antichrist—we’re looking for Jesus Christ, right? We’re looking for the blessed hope of the glorious appearing of our great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. I believe the Lord will come for the church before the tribulation period and once the covenant is signed.

How does this seven-year period start? It starts with the antichrist, this guy we’re going to read about, making a covenant with Israel for seven years. In the middle of the seven years, you see how I have it divided on the bottom—three-and-a-half years and three-and-a-half years—will be called the abomination of desolation which Antiochus Epiphanes prefigured. He will desecrate the temple. The Jews will rebuild their temple, and the antichrist will erect an image of himself and command everyone to worship him. He’ll say that if you don’t get his mark on your right hand or on your forehead, you won’t be able to buy or sell. That’s the last three-and-a-half years, but that can’t start until the church is caught up and he signs the covenant with Israel for seven years.

Here are the 12 prophecies about the antichrist. First, he will act in self will. Look at it in verse 36. It says, “And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself.” He is going to love himself. Is that such a surprising thought in our modern day and age? We live in a culture today that is promulgating this self love cult—the cult of love yourself—even in the church. We tell people, “Oh, you can’t love others until you first learn to love yourself.” No. The problem is you love yourself and you don’t love others. The Bible says no man ever hated his own flesh. Our problem isn’t that I need to learn to love myself, the problem is that I need to forget about myself. I need to die to myself. I need to take up my cross, follow Jesus Christ, and crucify the flesh. It’s going to fit right in with the philosophy of the world today. He is going to be a man with extremely high self esteem. He is going to absolutely be in love with himself.

Secondly, he will exalt himself (verse 36). It says there that he will exalt himself. Thirdly, he will magnify himself above every god. What a contrast to the real Christ, the real Messiah. By the way, the Jews are going to believe that he is their messiah, that he brings peace to them and peace to the middle east. Jesus denied Himself and came down to die, but he’s going to exalt himself. Thirdly, he will magnify himself above every god. What a contrast, again, with Jesus Christ. He’s going to be like Lucifer exalting himself. Fourthly, he will blaspheme the true God. Look at it in verse 36. “And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods.” In Revelation 13:6 it says, “And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.”

Write down the fifth (verse 36), he will prosper for a limited time. It says, “and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done,” I’m reading from the King James so it is a bit of a tongue twister here, maybe your newer translations make it a little easier but basically he is saying, “You know, God has set the bounds for this guy. God has given limits to his reign and power.” Even this wicked, vile, powerful, demonically energized antichrist is going to be under the control of Jesus Christ the King of kings.

The sixth we see in verse 37. He will be irreligious. It says, “Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.” Many believe because of the statement there, “neither shall he regard the God of his fathers,” that he will be a Jew, and when it says, “nor the desire of women,” a couple of possibilities. One possibility is that it’s a reference to the Hebrew women and their expectation, hope, and desire to be the mother of messiah—to be the woman through whom messiah would come—and that he would be against the Jewish religion. Another, believe it or not, interpretation is that he will be a homosexual, that he will not regard women. That wouldn’t be too out of the ordinary for our modern times in our culture and the day and age in which we’re living right now. He will not desire women, “nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.” He’s going to be irreligious. He is going to deny the God of the Jews and all gods. The word “God of his fathers” is the Hebrew Elohim. We also know in verses 38-39 that he will place his confidence in his military might and power. Look at it with me. “But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. 39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.” His focus is going to be on military power, and he’s going to come conquer and rule over the world.

Notice the eighth, write this down, in verse 40. His military might will be challenged. Toward the end of the tribulation this antichrist is going to begin to fight and war against other nations. Notice it (verse 40), “And at the time of the end,” and by the way, that’s one of the indications that we know that this is projected out to the time of the antichrist because of the statement in verse 40 “at the time of the end,” a little later it talks about him actually warring against the king of the north and the king of the south, so it’s not talking about Antiochus Epiphanes or Egypt. It’s talking about the antichrist of the last days. “And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.”

This is the beginning of World War III. World War III is going to happen at the end of the tribulation period. At the end of the tribulation period we are going to have what is called the Battle of Armageddon, and you’ve heard that term. It’s going to come to that time where all the nations of the world will be gathered together in the Valley of Megiddo. This is at the end of the 70th week when the antichrist begins his campaign of fighting against these other nations, and Israel will actually ask for help because of the covenant that he’s made with them. Notice also in verse 41, “He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown,” the glorious land is a reference to Israel, the land of Israel. “…but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.” He is going to be fighting all these wars around the area of the land of Israel. “But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.” In verses 40-43 he will initially be victorious in battle, which is the ninth prophecy.

The tenth prophecy is in verse 44, he will face renewed conflicts. Notice it with me. “But tidings out of the east,” I believe that is a reference to China marshaling Revelation 9 says an army of 200 million. The sleeping giant in the world today is China. Nobody thinks, talks about, or focuses on China; but they can actually field an army of 200 million soldiers. “But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him.” that’s probably a reference to Russia or Syria up in the north, “therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many,” or destroy many. This is World War III. This is the Battle of Armageddon. This takes place (Revelation 19) right at the time Jesus Christ comes back in His Second Coming. Jesus is going to come back and put an end to World War III or the Battle of Armageddon, and that’s what is being described in verse 44. Read Revelation 9, and it’s interesting that under the sixth angel’s trumpet of judgment that the Euphrates River is dried up and the kings of the east, China, is able to come into the land of Israel.

If you get a map and look at the land of Israel, it forms a perfect land bridge from the east, the north, the west, and south. You can get to Israel from Europe. You can get to Israel from Africa. You can be in South Africa, jump in your car, and drive all the way to Israel if you wanted. You can be in China, get in your car, and drive to Israel if you wanted. That’s why this has been the cradle of civilization and it’s where so many battles and wars have been fought, and all the nations of the earth will actually be gathered together again for this last battle in the Valley of Megiddo in the northern area of Israel. If you go on the tour to Israel with us, we will stand and overlook the Valley of Megiddo where World War III will take place. It’s the valley where the Battle of Armageddon will take place and Christ will return. It’s an awesome, awesome thing to see and experience.

That’s the background in verse 44. He’s fighting other nations, Libya and Ethiopia, which would probably be Sudan. Then the tidings come out of the east and out of the north, and so he goes to fight against these enemies. Notice verse 45. “And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas,” what that is saying is that his headquarters, the antichrist’s headquarters, will be in Israel; and “between the seas” is referring to the Mediterranean Sea to the west and the Dead Sea to the east. “…in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come,” here it is at the end of verse 45, “ to his end, and none shall help him.” Praise God! Amen? How does he come to his end? Jesus Christ comes and with the brightness of His coming, the sword that comes out of His mouth (Revelation 19), smites and destroys the antichrist. So, he will establish his headquarters in Jerusalem, which is the 11th prophecy in verse 45. I’m giving these to you in case you’re taking down the notes of the 12 prophecies. The 12th prophecy is that he shall come to his end.

The world is yet to see the most wicked human being ever to arise in history. He is going to make Adolf Hitler look like a choir boy in his hatred and persecution of the Jews, but God will save Israel. One hundred forty-four thousand Jews will come to Christ and be saved. Many Jews will be preaching during the time of the tribulation. The time of greatest Jewish evangelism will happen during the 70th week of Daniel. It’s called the time of Jacob’s trouble, and one of the purposes for this last seven years—remember I said that God has a big stopwatch and when Messiah was cut off He stopped the calendar, the 490 years? At 483 years CLICK He turned it off, and the Church Age is a parentheses. The rapture takes place, and the antichrist is revealed and makes a covenant with Israel for seven years. When that covenant is signed, BOOM God starts His stopwatch again and those last seven years are going to tick off. In the middle of that seven years, the antichrist will go into a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and will erect an image of himself. He will desecrate it like Antiochus did, and he will command everyone to worship him. Jesus talked about that in Matthew 24, and He put it future in His time. He said, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place…flee into the mountains…let him which is on the housetop not come down…neither return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child…pray ye that your flight be not on the sabbath day…,” and He warned them about the things that would be happening during that time. He said, “And except those days should be shortened, there should not flesh be saved.” This is the picture of how this antichrist will come to an end. It’s given to us also in the book of Revelation 19.

I want to read just a couple more verses. I’m going to go over this next week, but I want to read into chapter 12 because there is no break. There’s no break between chapters 10 and 11, and there’s no break between chapters 11 and 12. “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble,” this is referring to the tribulation, “such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book,” of life, “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”

Jesus Christ returns. He destroys and wipes out the antichrist, and it comes during this time of tribulation, but there will be the resurrection (Daniel 12:2) of the wicked dead and the righteous dead. The righteous will live with Christ in eternity in heaven. The wicked dead will be cast (Revelation 20) into the lake of fire, which is the second death, which burns with fire and brimstone; and they’ll be tormented with the beast and the false prophet, satan, and all of his angels.

The question is: Are we living in the last days? As I pointed out a couple of weeks ago, I said I think we’re right at the end of the Church Age just before the time of the rapture. And the answer, I believe, is yes! In 1948, Israel became a nation. They were able to maintain their national identity for two thousand years without a homeland, and the nation was born out of the past. The birth of the modern nation of Israel is a miracle of God, but it’s not an accident. It’s not an accident. God has a purpose and a plan, and history is His story. It revolves around the Jewish people and the nation of Israel. I believe that is an indication that we’re living in the end of time—we’re living in the last days. The Bible says that in the last days the world will be unified, the world will become one, and we have so much talk about globalism today and unification of the world. There will be one world. There will be one religion. You talk about co-exist? I mean, the antichrist is going to have a false prophet who is going to come with him; he’s going to perform miracles, and he’s going to cause fire to come down from heaven and do all kinds of miracles. People are going to wonder after the antichrist. He will have an ability to speak powerful words and sway people by his speeches. We see even in our Hollywood movies today so much demonic stuff in the theaters. So many supernatural demonic kinds of movies that are setting up people (their minds) to accept the supernatural demonic activity of antichrist and worshiping him.

We also see an apostasy taking place in the church today where people are falling away from the faith—they’re turning away from orthodox Christianity. They’re denying what the Bible teaches. We have liberalism and an apostasy, a falling away, from true Christianity in the church and world today. We see a rise in demonic activity. I believe the stage is set. Jesus Christ is coming soon, and we’re living in the last of the last days. We’re not looking for the antichrist. We’re not looking for the tribulation. We’re looking for Jesus Christ who will come and catch us up! The truth is that can happen at any time, at any moment. It could happen tonight. It could happen before I finish this study—if I don’t shut up real soon. Sometimes I think if I just keep talking long enough maybe we will all get raptured. You need to be ready. You need to be looking and serving the Lord. We’ll talk about that. I’m going to give you some steps of how to live in the last days when we close chapter 12 next week. Let’s pray.