Adult Sunday School - Statements concerning the Pontiff of Rome

The Historic Protestant View of the Antichrist

Let's pray and start the study of God's Word. Father, we come before you thankful Lord for your goodness. We pray God that you would sovereignly Point this time as holy and sacred unto yourself and for your sake of your people.

Father as we conclude the study of Roman Catholicism, we pray God That we would not develop a haughty spirit But Lord a spirit of humility a spirit of gentleness as we sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts always ready to give a defense For the hope that lies within us with Gentleness and with respect and Lord.

We thank you that again You've given us this time consecrated sacred unto you so that we may now Give our hearts our attention to thy word and to the teaching therein we pray God that you would be magnified and glorified as It is appointed for the Lord Jesus Christ to return and in his return to destroy the man of lawlessness and of sin.

We pray God that you would continue to lift up your people for the sake of your own glory in Jesus name. Amen all right, make sure to give this guy a Insert there you go. So we're doing a Kind of a promise you guys we're gonna conclude the study of Mabel.

Did you get a paper? Would you like one? I think I've got. I've got an extra two one. I always make more. All right, I promise you a controversial subject today and and it really shouldn't be that controversial.

What I'm actually bringing to you is the historic Protestant view of the Antichrist. It's not something that Is outside of the orthodoxy of Protestant ism. In fact, it accords with the very Statement of faith of our church regarding our second London our adoption of the second London Baptist Confession.

Therein where it says and on the back page, you'll see in statements concerning the pontiff on the third catechism line the 1689 chapter 26 and verse 4. It says this concerning the Lord Jesus at the church and the Antichrist.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the head of the church by the father's appointment. All authority is conferred on him in a supreme and sovereign manner to call Institute order and govern the church. The Pope of Rome of Roman Catholicism can I in any sense be head of the church rather?

He is the Antichrist a man of lawlessness the son of destruction who exalts himself in the church against Christ and all that is called God the Lord will destroy him with the brightness of his coming.

Now this is again from the second on the Baptist Confession some other statements of faith concerning the the pontiff of Rome. You'll find in the Lutheran Book of Concord states this the Pope is the real Antichrist.

Who was raised who has raised himself over and set himself against Christ accordingly? Just as we cannot adore the devil himself and as our Lord or God. So we cannot suffer his Apostles and the Pope or Antichrist to govern us as our head or Lord.

The Westminster Catechism and confession of faith says says this. There was no other head of the church. But the Lord Jesus Christ nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be the head thereof. But it is the Antichrist that man of sin and that son of perdition that exalted himself in the church against Christ and all.

That is called God. So again, what we're presenting to you isn't outside of Orthodoxy it isn't outside of the norm of Protestantism. This is actually the Original concept of the Antichrist within Protestantism and we are all Protestants.

So the question lies then what's changed? Because this is no longer the popular view. This is now kind of the outlier view, isn't it? When you when you hear most people talk about the Antichrist. What do you hear?

Who do you hear? Yeah, so you you hear a lot of conspiratorial Ideas concerning the Antichrist, for instance, you'll get the idea that. So back in the 70s you may have heard if you're from that time frame I'm not but you know I'm a history buff, you know Harry Kissinger Henry Kissinger he's the Antichrist.

He's Jewish and he's got you know. You order his name in the right way and it gives you the numeric value of six six six. Then in the 80s, it was Ronald Wilson Reagan, you know, you take each letter and you got six six six.

All right, man, you're on to something and in my time. Of course when our first black president was elected it was Barack Obama is the Antichrist now and it really is a man Centric American centric idea.

To think that the Antichrist is gonna hail from United States. There is no biblical evidence for that whatsoever. And let me actually give you some definitions the term Antichrist is very popular and Unfortunately, so even I mean I'm even using it in this, you know in this colloquial sense throughout this teaching.

But the Antichrist is kind of something that is over Worked overemphasized and overhyped the Antichrist is that word appears I think twice in the Bible and The word anti just means opposed. So one who is opposed to Christ when I was younger I used to watch a lot of History Channel and there was always some special in the Antichrist and very sensational and very Dramatic and it's gonna be this slick talking politician.

It's gonna be all these things and you know when it really comes down to the Antichrist. There are the scripture says there are many Antichrist anyone who Opposes Christ or teaches a false doctrine concerning Christ is technically an Antichrist, right?

Now there is According to scripture and according to the very verses. I'm quoting from 1st John chapter 2 John says you've heard that the Antichrist is coming and I say to you many Antichrist have already come into the world, right?

But there is still this idea of the the Antichrist. So what do we do with this? And what does the Bible teach concerning the subject? I want to take you through some primarily two places in the Bible that speak heavily on This concept of the Antichrist and it's gonna be found in the prophetic book of Daniel.

Daniel’s Vision of the Four Beasts and the Little Horn

So I want you to turn to Daniel chapter 7 and we're gonna see what are the hallmarks of the Antichrist? What does the Bible say about the man of lawlessness or the little horn? He goes by many names in Scripture.

And he's also confused with many other titles and we'll go into that a little bit later. But in the book of Daniel in chapter 7 what you have is a very fascinating prophecy concerning four kingdoms represented by four beasts.

In the Bible kingdoms are always associated with beasts and so when you think about the nature of government government has never Showed to us to demonstrate to us in a positive light. It's always in a negative connotation.

Nations are always beasts and what do beasts do? They trample they eat they kill they you know, they they claw they do all these evil things and The way the Bible points to government's they point to government as a necessary evil in the world.

That's why even the Apostle Paul in Romans 13 says that government's role is to be a sword. Okay, it's not there, you know to play patty-cake is there to to use the sword to draw the sword to spill blood and to try to contain to some degree of the human nature and because the human nature is wicked and because Humanity Sins.

Oftentimes governments have a heavy foot, you know the heavy but a boot of oppression from government. Right on time there brother. We're just good. And so we're in Daniel chapter 7 we're just opening we're just looking at the beginning of this and Again nations represent are represented by beasts in Scriptures.

So let's notice what it says here starting in verse 2 Daniel declared I Saw in my vision by night and behold the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. Anyone know what the sea what is represented by the sea in?

Scripture Daniel Ezekiel Isaiah and Revelation use this concept of the sea. In fact in Revelation chapter 13, you see the beasts coming out of the sea anyone know what the sea represents in the Bible.

Usually means two things. What's that. Very good. So in the it represents two primary things. If you remember back in Genesis and in the creation narrative, it says that the spirit was hovering over the surface of the deep it's the sea and What's what that sea represents is untamed kind of chaos, right?

And that's why in the Bible. In Job for instance, the sea is the place of a Leviathan. You don't go there. Only God can tame Leviathan. You know, it's the place of uncertainty. It's the place of chaos.

It's also represents in the Bible. The nations right so from amongst them and primarily the peoples of the nations. It represents the chaotic peoples of the nations, right? So out of the chaos of the nations rise these beasts rise these creatures.

Okay, and it says in the four verse three and four great beasts came out of the sea different from one another. The first was like a lion and had eagles wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man and the man in the mind of a man was given to it and Behold another beast a second one like a bear it was raised up on one side.

He had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth and it was told arise devour much flesh. After this I looked and behold another like a leopard with four wings of a bird on its back and. The beast had four heads and the many was given to it after this I saw in the night vision to behold a fourth piece is the one we want to focus on.

Terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong it had a great iron teeth it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped. What was left with its feet? It was different from all the beasts that were before it and it had ten horns.

Let's stop there for a second. You have all these descriptions of these beasts these beasts represent nations. Anyone know what the first piece represents. The first was like a lion had eagles wings. Hmm.

Represents Babylon. Okay, then the next one represents the Middle Persian Empire and the third beast represents Greece and then which was you know Daniel chapter 8 talks greatly about Greece this power that was to come.

Had not yet come remember Daniel's writing this in post Babylonian in the post Babylonian exile right through the destruction of the temple by the Babylonians. So they're in exile in Babylon. So this is before the fall of Babylon.

This is before the rise of the Middle Persian Empire. This is before the rise of Alexander the Great of which Daniel prophesies is brilliantly and specifically. This is obviously before Rome. So this is a Bible prophecy that you can look and see its fulfillment in real time in history.

The fourth beast Represents what kingdom? What is the next kingdom in succession after the Greece after the Greeks? Rome. Now Rome he says this beast is different. Notice the descriptions. The other beasts look fearsome like you don't want to mess of a bear.

You don't mess of a leopard. You don't mess of a lion. But this one is different. This one goes beyond description and he can't just. You can't liken it to any particular beast in the animal kingdom. And so if you look at some older, you know, this Artist renders rendering of this idea.

Some people put it like a t-rex or like a or like a dinosaur of some sort some some fearful terrible creature. And so that's that's the way that they they they picture it. And notice what it goes on to say some verse verse 7 again.

After this I saw the night visions behold a fourth beast terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. At a great iron teeth it devoured and broken pieces and stand what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it and it had ten horns.

Now this beast has ten horns. Ten particular horns. So that's gonna be important. Let's keep that in mind verse 8 says. I considered the horns and be and behold. There came up among them another horn a little one before which three of the first ones were plucked up by the roots.

And behold in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man and mouth speaking great things. So if you're following in the notes this morning and Daniel's vision the fourth beast is described as having how many horns?

Ten horns. With one in particular having human features and. And depending on the translation it spoke blasphemy. So here it says great things and IV would say blasphemy. Other places here in the scripture also use the term blasphemy in regard to the speech of This little horn.

It's okay. So you have this beast this creature has ten horns. Little horn comes out of it start speaking boastful terrible things. So let's break that down a little bit more. Okay, again, the first line should read in Daniel's vision the fourth beast is described as having ten horns with one having human features and spoke blasphemy.

Now let's get the interpretation of Daniel's vision here in verse 17 of Daniel 7. Which is one of the great things if you're ever confused about something in prophecy. It's usually expanded in the next following verses, right?

Focus on an ambiguous verse and the Lord is usually gracious enough to provide the interpretation of the text or of the prophecy to his servants. And it says again in Daniel chapter 7 verse 17. These four great beasts are four kings who shall rise out of the earth but the Saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever forever and ever.

And It says in verse 19 I desire to know the truth about the fourth beast which was different from all the rest. Exceedingly terrifying with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze and which devoured and broken pieces.

The stamped and stomped and stomped what was left with its feet. I'm in Daniel chapter 7 verse 20 now and it says in about the ten horns there were on its head and The other horn that came up and before which three of them fell and the horn had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things.

That seemed greater than its companions. And as I looked this horn made war with the Saints and prevailed over them. Until the ancient of days came and judgment was given for the Saints of the Most High and a time came when the Saints Possessed the kingdom and so let's stop there for a moment.

Actually, let's go into verse 25. It says thus He said as the fourth as as for the fourth beast there shall be. There shall be a fourth kingdom on earth Which shall be different from all the kingdoms and it shall devour the whole earth and trample it down break it to pieces.

As for the ten horns out of his out of this kingdom ten kings shall rise. And another shall arise after them. He shall be different from the former ones and he shall put down three kings. He shall speak words against the Most High and shall wear out the Saints of the Most High and shall think to change the times and law and They shall be given into his hands for a time times and half a time.

This is what the Bible. This is the little horn. Again, most commentators agree. This is likely, you know, the man of lawlessness the Antichrist. No one no scholar that I'm aware of disagrees with that Equation with with equating the Antichrist Man of lawlessness in the little horn in particular.

So most scholars are are pretty universal and accepting that connection. But I want you to notice that the fourth beast is indeed the Roman Empire what you write that in notes. The fourth beast is the Roman Empire and what's interesting about the little horn that arises out of the Roman Empire is That it will trample it arises from it and it tramples on the Saints for a time.

It tramples on the Saints. So here we're beginning to form a picture of what the Antichrist man of lawlessness looks like what his operations are. What his function is what his purpose is, but you also understand where his origin is.

The fourth beast is the Roman Empire. The which means that the little horn the Antichrist Comes from the Roman Empire doesn't come from Turkey doesn't come from Russia doesn't come from Egypt. Doesn't come from Israel doesn't come from anywhere else other than where?

Rome. So the Antichrist has to be from the ancient Roman Empire. There's there's there's just no other way it arises from the beast and the beast is Rome, right? Pretty clear pretty unanimous there. There is no other mechanism in Scripture that gives us To equate this with anything or anyone else so it has to be from the Roman Empire.

Like these guys catch up here, so we're all tracking of that any questions so far. So again the fourth beast is the Roman Empire and the little horn rises from it and tramples on the Saints for a time.

Okay. Now there's some more specifics as to this little horn what he does and what his operations are and the little horn is marked Particularly by his opposition to God and to his people. But notice what else wrote Daniel 725 says concerning the operation of the little horn, which is the Antichrist?

He shall speak words against the Most High and Shall wear out the Saints of the Most High or some people some translations wage war against the Saints and Shall think to change the times and the law and they should be given to his hands for a time times and half a time.

Notice what he does notice what the little horn with the Antichrist does he tries to change? Time and laws. Some translation says instead of time seasons. Seasons time and laws. By any chance anyone knows what calendar we use today.

What's called? The Gregorian calendar named after who? Pope Gregory Who changed the calendar of which the whole Western world uses and abides by today? Which is interestingly enough a solar calendar the biblical calendars not a solar calendar.

Do you know that so that what the ancient Hebrews use was not what this the counter that Jehovah gave his people? Was not a solar calendar was a lunar calendar, which is why they go by new moons. But we use a solar calendar Which is based upon the Roman Empire and in particular Pope Gregory Who in the fort in the 1400s?

Had us, you know adopt this universal Standard of time that we still use today. So and anyone in history Who in history has had the power to change times? Calendars and seasons and. And it's it's the Pope I've never understood why the New Year's in the dead of winter.

Here's thought about that. Why is it in January 1st? January, you know, so I'll get January pagan God, you know August Augustin, you know, we're using a Roman calendar. Isn't it interesting? It's it's very fascinating, you know so much so that the Jehovah's Witnesses back in the 1930s because they understood this and they They you know, they don't celebrate anything because they're superstitious that everything is pagan.

They even attempted to make their own calendar and that didn't really work out too. Well, so they they dropped that but they were so you know against Paganism in all its forms that they didn't even want to use the secular calendar because it was based off pagan Roman Empire and the Roman Catholic Church, so.

Pretty interesting. So again, the the little horn has the power has the authority to change times and laws and laws. Once you turn the back of your page, there's the last quote there from the Catholic book my Catholic faith.

Which is based upon a Catholic catechism on page 251. It says this the Pope can make and unmake laws for the entire church. His authority is supreme and unquestioned. Every bishop every priest every member of the church is subject to him.

How many people are subject to the pontiff of Rome? How many people? 1 .2 billion people. One point that's bigger than any nation on earth. Okay 1 .2 billion people are subject to the headship of the pontiff of Rome and his Authority is absolute and being able to change laws times and seasons for 1 .2 billion adherents of the Roman Catholic Church.

Okay, think of the magnitude of this. How big this is notice again what the little horn does and what's interesting is that it's little. Out of this beast comes this little horn. This beast is not small.

He's large. He's he's fierce fearful. He is he is fearsome. He is powerful. He tramples on all the nations. This is the Roman Empire. Out of the Roman Empire comes this little horn small in stature, but speaks great things which is pointing to a small nation-state but a powerful figure working there in okay, so very.

Very interesting things here that are at play. So again, the little horn is marked by his opposition to God and his people. He has the authority to change times and laws. And so we have to keep asking ourselves who in history fits the bill who is fitting this narrative?

Who is fitting this description of the little horn or in particular the man of lawlessness? And so let's actually look a little bit deeper into what the New Testament writes about in 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2.

Concerning this man of lawlessness. Yes, 2nd Thessalonians the second chapter. It says now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being joined together with him. We ask you brothers not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed either by a spirit or spoken word or a letter seeming Seeming to be from us to the effect of the day of the Lord has come.

That no one deceived you in any way. For that day will not come unless the rebellion or the word apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed. The son of destruction. Who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called God or object of worship?

So that he takes his seat in the temple of God proclaiming himself to be God. So here you have a description of what's called the man of lawlessness the man of sin. And in particular what he will do and what's what his.

What what precedes him which is what what precedes the revealing of the man of lawlessness or what coincides with it. It's the what? It's the rebellion. It's the apostasy. Okay, and that's a really strong indicator of Who the antichrist is is because he coincides or you know comes out of this apostasy out of this moving away from Christian orthodoxy.

So what's interesting here is that in Daniel chapter 7 you have what seems to be a political figure? Okay, because he's obviously political because he's coming out of Rome, but he He's doing religious things.

He's speaking boastful words about them and exalting himself against who the most high God here. He's doing the exact same thing. He opposes and exalts himself against every so-called God or object of worship.

Okay, so he's he seems to be a political figure, but he's also a religious figure. He's doing political things. He's got a nation-state. He's a little whore. He's he's part of the Roman Empire yet. He's also Speaking religious things, okay.

And he's opposing and he's part of this apostate rebellion of Christianity. So most likely not an Islamic. You know figure some evangelicals like to think that maybe this is a Islamic figure and I see why the appeal would be because Islam is Obviously seemingly a great threat to Western civilization today.

But I would not. I actually I think Islam has a place in Scripture. But I don't think it's a little horn nor the man of lawlessness nor should we expect the man of lawlessness to be Muslim. Instead he he seems to be coming out of The Christian Church.

Why. Because again it says he's the one he is the sign of rebellion that's coming first. Apostasy, where does apostasy come from? It comes from within comes from within the church not from outside comes from within the church.

Okay, and That's what we have to look for. We have to look at these markers. This is this is clearly a political but also a religious figure that comes out of historic Christianity out of historic Christendom.

But then opposes and exalts himself against every so-called God or object of worship. So he takes a seat in the temple of God. Okay, a lot of dispensation lists pre-millennialists would argue that this temple of God is a Third temple built in Jerusalem that we should be expecting.

But I and I used to hold to that view as a when I was a historic pre-millennialist and a dispensation list. But I don't hold to that view any longer. Because the evidence is overwhelming of the New Testament that the temple of God is who The body of Christ the church is always referred to as the temple of God.

Think about it this way as well. Jesus says Jesus does not say that the temple is gonna be rebuilt. In fact in the Olivet discourse He prophesies its destruction and its destruction is is final. He says not one stone be left on top of another.

He doesn't give any opportunity for a third temple to be built nor is there any evidence of that in Scripture. So what you so. What also needs to be considered in regard to a third temple is the implications when you read the book of Hebrews?

The writer of Hebrews is is very concerned of this idea because as This was being written The temple was still standing. Okay. So we know that Hebrews has an all the whole I would say the whole of the New Testament has an authorship before the year 70 before the destruction of the temple and I say that because of the internal evidence internal witness of Scripture itself and.

So when you look at the internal evidence of Scripture you see that okay? When the Hebrews has been written the temple still standing how we know this because the writer of Hebrews most likely Paul says That the new covenant Over that the old covenants obsolete and is fading away.

And he says along with his rituals along with its with all of its services. Which means that as it was being written those services those temple rituals are still being done. He says they're fading away they're being done with one day they're gonna be gone completely had not yet happened in the time of Paul because that the destruction of the temple that happened till year 70 and what Paul is concerned with in Hebrews is This idea of of this clashing idea between the ritual Listic nature of temple worship with true worship within the Christian Church.

And he makes it very clear that the sacrificial system was obsolete was obsolete now in that time in that day as Paul was writing and That in fact the blood of goats of goats of bulls calves could not sanctify but only the blood of Christ can sanctify to the other most is his argument and so the sacrificial system of Temple worship even within the generation of the Apostles was already obsolete and in fact apostate.

Okay, because Christ had given us the final propitiation of our sins that ransom sacrifice. So if a temple was to be rebuilt today Would it be God's temple of the Jews built a third temple today would that be God's temple?

No, it wouldn't be. You think you think Yahweh? Jehovah would look upon Blood sacrifices and be pleased of that when he has sacrificed his own son. When the blood of Jesus speaks a better word than the blood of goats of goats and bulls.

It would be an affront to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to even consider a third Jewish temple to be Something that is ordained by God as true worship or a true temple. Which is why the New Testament writers are very crystal clear the temple now is the church the Saints Jew Gentile we make up this new living temple.

Yes, that's right. That's right. Absolutely 100 And so when I look at 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2, I'd be hard-pressed to be convinced That this is a literal third Jewish temple. The Jews today are apostate the Jews today are not worshiping the true God.

These are not people who if even if they even if they were to build the temple It would not be Yahweh's temple they don't even say his name. You know what they say instead they use the term Hashem. When he talked about the Lord God of Israel, you know what the word Hashem means in Hebrew.

The name they don't even they don't even say Yahweh. They don't even say it barely even say I don't know which means Lord they use the term Hashem. You know, they're not worshiping the God of the Bible.

They're not worshiping Yahweh. And they certainly have not accepted the Messiah the Messiah Jesus Christ and so any third temple that would even be built by them wouldn't be God's true temple and to put insult to injury.

Not to go too deep into this. But they is physically impossible for them to build a third temple not for the reasons you may think. You've all heard of the Temple Mount, correct? What stands on top of the Temple Mount?

The Muslim Dome of the Rock the mosque the I think the Allah was it called the all almost mosque or something like that and. And and and they this is a holy site for the Jewish. I mean for the Muslim people, but that's not the reason I'm saying it's an impossibility.

Okay, the reason why I'm saying it's an impossibility physically is because what is called the Temple Mount today is not the Temple Mount. Hey, you might be wondering well, what do you mean by that? I mean exactly what I said is not a Temple Mount.

How do I know this when you look at the historical records and I have the books and so I can give you the receipts the most famous Historian of the first century was a man by the name of Josephus. He was a Jewish historian writing for the Romans and He describes the carnage of the destruction of the temple in the year 70.

And he actually goes back after the destruction of the temple and you know what he reports. He stands on a hill a same hill that you can go to today. Okay, so it's still there you go to this hill in which he stood and he says there was not even a sign.

You could not even see the imprint of the foundation of the temple of where the Temple Mount stood. He says the only thing that was left over From the temple complex was the ruins of Fort Antonio. Okay.

Now that mean and when you go today to that same Location that Josephus stood for from and you look at his the direction that he said to look from you know what you see. What's called today the Temple Mount?

The Temple Mount is not from the temple. It was the it is the leftovers of the Fort of Antonio. Then this confirms the prophetic word given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ in the Olivet Discourse. When he says about the temple not one stone will be left on top of another.

Yet there are those who say you can go to the Temple Mount. There's a whole stone wall Jesus has not one will be left on top of another in fact We know exactly there are scholars and archaeologists today who actually know exactly where the Temple Mount was and it's in the City of David that Fort is not actually in the proper City of David and but no one listens to them and the reason why is because Once the Talmud came into play that the the rabbinic tradition became that that Place was the Temple Mount and it was accepted universally by Jews because of the Talmud the Talmud was the first document that said hey, this is the Temple Mount and That is again from Jewish tradition.

It's not Backed up by first century historians like Josephus. So it isn't it is a physical impossibility for the temple to be rebuilt today. Because first and foremost the Jews have the wrong place in mind.

And so there there will be no third temple and even if there was a third temple This would not be a place of true worship this would not believe be a place where Jehovah would receive these sacrifices of any type of of Regularity or with you know as an act of worship.

This would be an affront to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. So when the Bible refers to this this temple that the man of lawlessness sits in. It's talking about the temple of God's people. It's talking about the church that this person is man of lawlessness sits in the church.

And he exalts himself over the people of God again who in history can fit the bill. We have put our critical thinking hats on here any questions so far on any of this. I know this is a lot of information I'm throwing at you.

Like a holy book that the current Jews use they don't. They put it over scripture, right?

Yeah, so the Talmud was developed by the rabbis in the centuries following the destruction of the of the in the dispersion of the Jewish people and So the Talmud most I think by the 10th century. It was really well-defined and you have some of the great rabbis who Basically interpret the Old Testament and they give the traditions of the Jewish people because you have to understand Judaism.