Lesson
12
The
Reign of the Anti-Christ
II. The Reign of
the Antichrist
A forceful political
leader will come forth to dominate world leadership during the tribulation
period. He will have much help in the person of the False Prophet, who will be
the World Religious Leader. A world system of government, under one head, will
envelop the political, religious and the economic areas of life.
A. The Antichrist
"The son of perdition, that man of sin will be
revealed" (II Thessalonians 2:3).
* He will oppose God
(Verse 4).
* He will exhalt
himself above God (verse 4).
* He will sit in the
temple showing himself as God
(verse 4).
* He will be destroyed
by the Lord Jesus at Armageddon (verse 8).
* Satan will empower
him with signs and lying wonders (verse 9).
* He will deceive
those that love not the truth (verse 10).
* God will allow those
who love not the truth, and are deceived by the Antichrist, to believe a lie
and be damned (verse 11,12).
* Revelation 13
describes the Anti-Christ as a beast rising up out of the sea.
* The dragon (or
Satan, Revelation 12:9) will give him his power and authority (Revelation
13:2).
* The one world system
of government is to be a revival of the old Roman Empire which has been dormant
but will be restored (verse 3).
* The people will
worship the beast (verse 4).
"He will have total power the last 3 1/2 years of Tribulation (verse 5).
* He will blaspheme
God; His name and the heavenly dwellers (verse 6).
* He will make war
against the believing Jews (verse 7).
* He will cause all to
receive a mark in the right hand or forehead, in order to buy or sell (verse
16,17).
* His number is 666
(verse 18).
B. The False
Prophet (Religious Government)
Revelation 13 also
describes the religious leader of this time of tribulation who works closely
with the Antichrist. He will assist the Antichrist to attain world supremacy.
The False Prophet is mentioned three times (Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10).
* He will exercise
great power (Revelation 13:12).
* He will cause the
people to worship the Antichrist and
the world system (verse 12).
* He will perform
miracles by the power of Satan (verse 14).
* He will be a
deceiver (verse 14).
* He will have an
image of the Antichrist made (verse 14).
* He will give life to
the image and cause the image to speak (verse 15).
* He will put to death
all that will not worship the image of the beast (verse 15).
C. The
Anti-Christ System of Political Government
The ten
toes of the image of Nebuchadnezzar and the ten horns of the beast of
Revelation 13:1 and 17:12 and of Daniel 7:7 and 24, are a confederation of ten
nations that will constitute a world power in the last days. These nations will
help the Antichrist come to power and sustain that power for some years. Their
authority will be lessened by the Antichrist after he has used them to gain
world power. The strong Common Market Nations of Europe could possibly be the
means of this support. The Common Market will probably develop into a very
powerful economic block for the western world of nations. This economic block
will give them great influence in the making of a world leader. This block will
be highly dominated by the world religion. Revelation 17 introduces the great
harlot, drunk with the saints and martyrs. This harlot will ride the beast until
the beast kills her. This will be the end of the false world church, which will
give its power and wealth to the beast.