SNBS - Revelation Part 10 - The Antichrist

Revelation 13 and the Antichrist in Sunday Night Bible Study

And this is on the Antichrist. Good evening and welcome to Sunday Night Bible Study with Pastor Josiah Shipley of Wynton Baptist Church here in Memphis, Tennessee. We are on part 10 of our series in Revelation.

Thank you for those of you who have stuck with us thus far. If you haven't had a chance to, go back to Wynton Media Ministry on YouTube and check out our previous series. They're in order. On the book of Revelation.

We're on part 10. We're in chapter 13. We're probably going to be here for two weeks, maybe three. And this is on the Antichrist. What I want you to do before we get started is what you should do every time you come to the scriptures.

Put aside any tradition you have, movies you watch, books you read on end times or whatever, and let's just focus on what the Word of God has to say. Don't even take what I say for gospel truth unless it comes directly from God's Word, okay?

I always try my best to discern what's doctrine, what's theology, what can't change what God said, and what's just my study of. And you do the same. And I try to make it easy for you by telling you, hey, this part's my opinion, this part's what the Bible says, right?

So, with that being said, we're gonna start by reading all of Revelation 13, so bear with me for a couple minutes. Then we're gonna go over some of the titles, the names of the Antichrist, in all of Scripture.

There's plenty of them. And then we'll dig into a little bit of chapter 13, but we won't get very far today. But by the time we're done, in the next two or three weeks, we'll go through all of Revelation 13, which includes, you know, the ten horns and seven heads, the false prophet, the signs, the image of the beast, the mark of the beast, you've probably heard that before, the number six, six, six, all that kind of stuff, okay?

Reading Revelation 13

All right. First, let's start with reading Revelation 13. And I saw a beast rising out of the sea with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns, and blasphemous names on its heads. And I saw a beast that was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear's, its mouth was like a lion's mouth, and to it the dragon gave his power, his throne, and great authority.

One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. They worshipped the dragon, for he had given authority to the beast, and worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast who can fight against it?

And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and was allowed to exercise authority for 42 months. Remember that? Three and a half years? The second part of the Great Tribulation?

Verse 6. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also, it was allowed to make war on the saints and conquer them.

And authority was given over every tribe, people, language, nation, and all who dwell on the earth will worship it. Everyone whose name was not written before the foundation of the world in the book of the life of a lamb that was slain.

If anyone has an ear to hear, let him hear. If anyone wants to be taken captive, into captivity he goes. If anyone wants to be slain with the sword, he will be slain. Here's a call for endurance and faith of the saints.

Remember, even though I believe the rapture happens three and a half years before this event, there's still going to be Christians on the planet, because a lot of people are going to get slayed slaved.

A lot of people are going to get saved after the rapture. I believe that. I mean, we have 144 ,000 Jewish evangelists or missionaries or however you want to look at it. We have people getting saved after they see miracles.

Some people won't, but some people will, but they will be living through a tribulation. Verse 11, then I saw another beast. So this is no longer the antichrist. This is the false prophet, the second beast.

So another beast, verse 11, rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and it makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.

It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven in front of people. And by the signs that it's allowed to work in the presence of the beast, it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast, and was wounded by the sword yet lived.

And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. It causes all, both great and small, rich and poor, slave and free, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark that is the name of the beast or the number of its name.

This calls for wisdom. Let no one who has understanding, sorry, let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is the number of man, his number is 666. All right, so a lot there, we're not going to get to all of it today, but we will before we're done, I promise.

The Names and Titles of the Antichrist

Let's talk about the Antichrist himself for just a little bit, okay? First off, the name Antichrist is only used twice in scripture, one in first John, the other in second John, okay? It's not used in the book of Revelation, but our guy here is talked about in Revelation.

I need you to remove any notion you have of, and just forget the Antichrist, of Satan and demons in general. If when you picture Satan, you picture a demon-looking guy in a red jumpsuit with horns and a pitchfork and is on fire and is in hell, ruling hell, you have a wrong view of scripture.

Satan has never been to hell. He will be going there one day, and he's not looking forward to it. He will be in suffering and agony, just like everyone else. He will not be ruling hell. He will be punished there.

Satan is on the earth right now, like a roaring lion, seeking those he may devour, okay?

All right, we're good.

Seeking those he may devour. That's what Satan's doing right now. Well, the Antichrist isn't going to be like a demon-possessed doll or, you know, whatever, like Chucky or like a movie may depict it.

Because the whole world will marvel at him. Everyone's going to love him. He's going to be the most popular guy ever. He's going to bring peace and unity and his version of love and tolerance and these type things.

When really it has nothing to do with love or tolerance. We choose to use the name Antichrist. Instead of thinking of it as Antichrist as in against Christ, think of it as Antichrist as in another Christ.

Not that there really is, but if you notice, and we'll go through them, there's a lot of things in Revelation 13 where he tries to use parlor tricks. He tries to use mockeries and blasphemies to make himself look like God.

So, you know, there's the dragon, the beast, and the second beast trying to imitate the triune God. You know, Jesus was resurrected. He will seem to have a mortal wound and be healed. He will give breath to the image of the beast, like God gave breath to Adam and Eve.

You know, fire from heaven, just like God did for Elijah, so on and so forth. Even the mark of the beast on the right hand and the forehead. Go back to Deuteronomy 6. The Shema, hero Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one, and go write this law and statutes on your hand or on your forehead, on the front lens of your eyes.

In other words, making a mockery of that, okay? So he's called the beast, but he's actually shown up before, and we mentioned this. He was back in chapter 11. John often does spoiler alerts. He has spoilers all the time.

He does it in his gospel. I think it's John's gospel where you're reading, and the very first time you see Judas, John kind of writes in parentheses, this is the one who's going to betray him at the end of this book, by the way.

It's like, hey man, thanks. What if I never read it before? You just ruined it. Right? Well, John does that in Revelation 2. Way back in chapter 11, when the two witnesses are killed, John says, oh, yeah.

Hey, they're going to be killed by the antichrist, the beast that comes from the bottomless pit, but I'm not going to talk about him for a chapter and a half. But in chapter 11, verse 7, he talks about the beast that rises from the bottomless pit, ruining the story for us, right?

Of course, I'm being funny, or trying to be. But the beast is the antichrist. Now, the second beast is not. That's the false prophet. That's kind of like the antichrist hype man, right? He's also called the man of lawlessness.

I'm going to read for you something out of 2 Thessalonians. And if you don't know where that is, it's in the New Testament. So it is towards the back. This is one of Paul's letters. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, and I'm just going to start reading in verse 3.

Let no one deceive you in any way, for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness, or the man of sin, is revealed, the son of destruction, son of perdition. Remember, there's not a temple right now, but there will be again.

Do you not remember that when I was with you, I told you these things? And you know what's restraining him now, so he may be revealed in his time. Verse 7, the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, only he who now restrains it will do so until he's out of the way.

Verse 8, when the lawless one will be revealed, the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of a lawless one is by the activity of satan, with all power, false signs, and wonders.

Okay. The Lord Jesus will kill the antichrist with the breath of his mouth. Remember, the antichrist will be there during the first half of the tribulation, all those seals we read, but he won't be revealed to the midpoint after the two witnesses are gone.

After he kills the two witnesses. Remember their bodies laid on the streets for three and a half days, and the whole world celebrate him. Well, speaking of that, hold on, I lost my train of thought. Forgive me for one second.

I'll get back on it. Hold on. Okay. So, the antichrist will be revealed at that point, and when Jesus returns, I'm not talking about the rapture, that's already happened, when he returns to reign on earth, he will kill the antichrist with the breath of his mouth.

Isn't it interesting in his return in Revelation 20, coming out of his mouth as a sword? That's what John says, and Paul says he will kill him with the breath of his mouth. Kind of cool, isn't it? So, the antichrist is called the beast, the man of lawlessness, the antichrist is mentioned in 1 John 2 .18.

It says the antichrist is coming, but many antichrists, in other words, false prophets, false spirits, are present in the earth now. He's also called, number four there, a little horn. Now, in Daniel 7, and I'll read it just a little bit so you can see what I'm talking about, we have a vision here, and the vision is talking about a lot of world powers, and after all these world powers, we have Daniel 7, verse 8.

I considered the horns, which the Bible tells us are kings and kingdoms, I considered the horns, and behold, there came another one, another horn, a little horn, from which the first three horns were plucked up by the roots, and behold, its horn were eyes, and like eyes, a mouth speaking great things.

Go down to verse 20. And about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn, that little one, that came up before, and the three fell, the horn had eyes and a mouth and spoke great things, and it seemed great amongst companions.

And I looked, and this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them. Sound familiar? Until the Ancient of Days came, until that time. And then it goes on, and basically Jesus wins. Okay? So, that little horn is the Antichrist, and it will make war with the saints and conquer them until Jesus comes.

See, there's continuity in the Bible. What Paul said is what John said is what Daniel said, okay? Now, there is another vision in Daniel 8 that's something completely different, and there's a little horn there, too.

That is not the Antichrist. That's actually a guy named Antiochus Epiphanes. But that's a different vision, so don't confuse Daniel 7 with Daniel 8. Daniel 8 is another little horn, Antiochus Epiphanes, Seleucid Empire after Alexander the Great.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, don't worry yet. Daniel 7 is the one about the Antichrist. Okay. Also, Daniel 9 and Matthew 24, I think it is. Yeah. We have what's called the Abomination of Desolation.

Now, that is an event. That's an event where the Antichrist goes into the Temple of the Holy of Holies and sets himself up there making himself God. That's called the Abomination of Desolation. So the one who performs that is the Antichrist, okay?

Now, there have been other times where leaders have gone in and poured pig's blood, which is the most profane thing you could do in the mind of a Jew, in the Holy of Holies. But this is even worse because he sits down in the Temple and makes himself out to be God.

I can't prove this, but I also think the Antichrist was that rider on the white horse back in Revelation 6. Not a lot of detail is given, but he says he conquers with a bow. But notice there's no arrows, almost like he conquers without making war.

It's weird. But he's not revealed until later. So the Antichrist is working in the first three and a half years, but not revealed to the midpoint. I could be wrong. That's how I read that one. Okay. Now, those are the names of the Antichrist, of the beast, of the man of lawlessness.

The Mark of the Beast and Christian Readiness

And his hype man is the false prophet, the one who does all his dirty work, is the one who makes people have the Mark of the Beast, and all that. Now guys, look, let's talk about the Mark of the Beast for a minute.

We'll get to it more. A lot of people are so afraid that they will accidentally get the Mark of the Beast, and then they will lose their salvation, and they can't be saved. Guys, listen. Not only do I think this is after the rapture, but this is after the two witnesses are killed, and then their bodies lay in the streets for three and a half days, and they will be killed by the Antichrist.

And the whole world will marvel at what the Antichrist does. At that point, there won't be any question. And this guy will kill the two witnesses who have been witnessing for three and a half years, and causing it to not rain, and turning blood in the water, and then their bodies will lie on the streets for three and a half days.

That is not happening right now. That hasn't happened. The Antichrist hasn't been revealed. So no, I don't think you're going to accidentally take the Mark of the Beast. It will be a clear choice of following God or not.

It will be clear, crystal clear. All right, I just wanted to say that part, even though we haven't got to it. I know a lot of people are stressing about that. Listen. Let's read the Bible literally for what it says.

Now, having said that, Christians, I do want you to hear, because I don't know when these things will occur. The Bible says be ready for his return at any moment. Guys, Jesus could rapture us away right now.

Jesus can return whenever he wants. And you said, I thought you said the rapture and return aren't the same. Well, they're not. But, you know, I told you guys, I'm a pre-rapture, a pre-trib rapture guy.

So I believe the rapture happened seven years before the return of Jesus. I could be wrong. I could be wrong. Here's what I know. The Bible commands us to always be looking and ready for his return. Well, looking and ready isn't sitting here twiddling our thumbs.

It's doing the work he's given us to do now, of being a light to the world, of loving our brothers and sisters in Christ through service and sacrifice. Guys, you don't go to church just to learn about God.

I'm tired of people saying that. That's not what the Bible says. Read Hebrews 10 24 and 25. You go to church to encourage and serve others. And if that's not why you go, you need to change your attitude about it.

That's why you go to church. Not to get some Jesus or to get a week or you go because I've been having a rough time. You go to serve other people. That's what you're there for. That's what the Christian life is about.

Conforming yourself to the image of Christ. Well, the Son of Man didn't come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom. We're to lay our lives down. If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, pick up his cross daily and follow me.

That's what Jesus commanded us to do. Okay. There's that. We're going to continue with Revelation 13 next week. But here's a list of his titles and the names of the Antichrist. Is it something to be concerned about?

Yeah. Is it something to be fearful of? No. I know who I'm believed in and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day. I know who holds the future. To him who is able to do all things far more abundantly than all we can ask or think.

To him be the glory forever and ever. Hey guys, I've read the end of the book. Jesus wins. And I'm on his side. Not because of anything I've done, because of the grace he has given me. I love you guys very much.

Hopefully this was helpful and encouraging. We will continue with the Antichrist next week in Revelation 13. Love you guys very much. Tune in to all of our other stuff on Whitmanian Ministry on YouTube.

God bless.