THE SPIRIT OF ANTI-CHRIST
THE SPIRIT OF ANTI-CHRIST
July 6, 2015, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom, a Preacher
The greatest restraint against acts of evil is the knowledge that every person and nation will one day give an account for their actions to Almighty God. It is the “fear of God”. If Jesus doesn’t come, he will call. Even before the second coming of Christ, there are days of visitation. On our day of visitation, is a day of promotion or judgment.
The Word of God tells us that we are responsible for our actions and we must be accountable for what we do or don’t do. There is a penalty (while we are on earth) for doing wrong and a blessing when we do that which is right in the eyes of God.
We have much to love and be grateful to be blessed to call the United States of America our home. However, our nation is rapidly deteriorating from its bible foundation. Our freedom to serve God, and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our land has disintegrated. The Word of God is clear ---“God will send delusion that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who do not believe the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness.”
Only God’s intervention will return America to solid footing and restore a moral nation that righteousness will exalt.
Proverbs 15:34: “Righteousness exalts a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people”.
Since righteousness exalts a nation---we know the governmental leadership of this nation is in “sin” and therefore as a people these are reproached. We know the earth is on a course of destiny whereby the spirit of anti-Christ will be so powerful, that Satan will presume to rule the earth.
On Sunday evenings, I have been teaching on the individual sins of the soul which are stumbling blocks which keep people from entering into the Glory of God--- the fullness of the eternal and covenant Kingdom blessings on earth as it is in heaven.
However, there is a national sin which has crept into America---this is the sin of a “great falling away” and coming into agreement with all that is anti-Christian. Anyone who does not believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Father is anti-Christ.
This is the spirit of the anti-Christ.
1 John 2:21-24: “Little children, it is the last time; and as you have heard that antichrist shall come, even now there are may antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time…Who is a liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist that denies the Father and the Son. Whosoever denies the Son, the same has not the Father; he that acknowledges the Son has the Father also. Let that therefore abide in you which you have heard from the beginning…you also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.”
No man has seen God at any time, only the begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father. He has declared Him. Christ alone is equipped to expound God perfectly. Christ shares all of the Father’s thoughts and mysterious secrets. He is endowed with the Holy Spirit “without measure” (John 3:34)…so that in him are “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
Rev. Eddie Smith posted a statement on Face Book this week. Someone challenged him demanding to know how he knew what God thought. Brother Smith’s reply was, “I can read”.
The Holy Bible is clear and unmistakable as to how we are to recognize the spirit of anti-Christ in all men or in the One who will be Satan’s agent and his last attempt to raise up a world dictator.
2 Thessalonians gives us clear facts about the anti-Christ – Chapter 2:
- Called the man of sin because he will be the embodiment of lawlessness and leader of the great apostasy. 2:3: “Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God”.
2: 7-12: “For the mystery of iniquity does already work; only he who now lets will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. For this cause “God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who do not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
The anti-Christ is called the son of perdition because of being destined to destruction for his rebellion. This is also used of Judas in John 17:12. Literally this means son of destruction whose destiny is eternal hell.
At the time Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians, the Roman Empire had come to power in 27 B.C. 2 Thessalonians was written 51-52 A.D. The Roman Empire is the 4th Kingdom in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the metallic man (Daniel 2:40) and the 4th beast in Daniel 7.
The Roman Empire succeeded Greece and brought the whole world under its sway. However, the ten horns do not correspond to any known historical aspect of the Roman Empire. This is believed to be the future extension of the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire was a world kingdom from 27 B.C. to 476 A.D.
It is my persuasion just as when Paul wrote that the “mystery of iniquity” was already at work in the (fourth kingdom/fourth beast), the Roman Empire, that the Incarnation of that kingdom is well into its formation.
- The revised fourth Kingdom will be different from all the other kingdoms before it.
- The fourth Kingdom will cover or influence the whole earth.
- Another king will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings.
- Once he is firmly established in his power and authority, he will speak out against the Most High God.
- He will change times and laws.
- He will wear down the saints of the Most High.
- He will not regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall magnify himself above all. (Dan. 11:37).
- In the place of the God of his fathers he will honor the god of forces by dedicating gold, silver, precious stones, and pleasant things to it in all strongholds (Dan. 11: 38-39).
- He will acknowledge and increase the glory of the strange god. He shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.
- He shall enter into the glorious land (Israel), and many countries shall be overthrown, but Edom, Moab and the chief of the children of Ammon will escape out of his hand. The land of Egypt shall not escape.
- He shall have power over all the treasures of gold, silver and precious things of Egypt; and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be in his steps. (vs. 43).
- He will have miraculous powers. 2 Thess. 2:9: “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.”
- Only those who are lost will follow him.
- The reason men are deceived by him is they have rejected truth, loved sin, and refused salvation.
The anti-Christ will be revealed. The Spirit of lawlessness now works preparing for his revelation.
The spirit of anti-Christ has rested upon many world leaders. On the Assyrian (Isa. 10:20-27); the King of Babylon (Isa. 14:4); the Spoiler (Isa. 16:4); The Extortioner (Isa. 16:4); Gog, the Chief Prince of Meshech and Tubal; the Little Horn (Dan 7:8; 24; 8:9; 23); King of Fierce Countenance (Dan. 8:23); The Prince that shall come (Dan.9: 26-27); the King of the north (Dan. 11: 5-45); the man of sin (2 Th. 2: 1-12); the son of perdition; the Wicked (Isa. 11:4); The Beast (Dan. 7:11).
As declared by Daniel, even though the spirit of anti-Christ which is at work in all nations of the world and is trying to change times and laws ----marriage between a man and woman; global warming, etc., 2:20-23: “Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God forever and ever; for wisdom and might are His; And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings, and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding; He reveals the deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him. I thank You, and praise You, O You God of my fathers, who have given me wisdom and might, and have made known to me now what we desired of You; for you have now made known to us the king’s matter…
(Vs. 27)…there is a God in heaven that reveals secrets, and makes known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, are these. The thoughts that came into your mind are prophetic of what shall come to pass hereafter; He that reveals secrets makes known to you what shall come to pass.”
Why would God unroll future history to Nebuchadnezzar? Well he was a chosen vessel of the Lord to bring judgment on Israel. The Babylonians under the leadership of Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judah in 589 B.C. enslaving many Jews. In his second year as monarch, he was already a military victor and monarch of a large realm.
2:31-36: “You O king saw, and behold a great image. This great image whose brightness was excellent, stood before you; and the form thereof was terrible. The image’s head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass. Its legs were of iron, and its feet part of iron and part of clay. You saw a stone cut out without hands, which smote the image upon its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, he brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them; and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. I will now tell you the interpretation.” (Verses 31-35 are fulfilled prophecy. Verses 33b-35 are unfulfilled).
Daniel interpreted the dream recognizing that Nebuchadnezzar was chosen of God to be a one of the great monarchs of history. By Daniel receiving the revelation, he reveals that God is sovereign over all nations; God is the only One who guides human affairs; God is all knowledge and wisdom; God is the author of prophecies.; to make known the plan of God from Daniel’s day into all eternity. (37-38): “You, O king, are a king of kings; for the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength and glory. Wherever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven has he given into your hand. He has made you ruler over them all. You are the head of gold.”
(Vs. 39) “And after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to you, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over the earth.” The second kingdom in the times of the Gentiles is the coalition kingdom of the Medes and Persians which conquered Babylon during Daniel’s lifetime in the first year of Belshazzar, King of Babylon.
There is a war in the heavenlies and the Lord Defeats satanic forces over each existing kingdom of the world before He will bring other kingdoms on the scene to fulfill other parts of His prophetic word. The five kingdoms represented by the metallic man succeeded each other as the time came for them to fulfill God’s plan pertaining to Israel. The Medes and Persians succeeded Babylon at the end of the 70 years’ captivity of the Jews. (Dan. 2:39; 5: 1-31; 8:20; 9:1)
The third Kingdom to oppress Israel in the time of the Gentiles was Alexander the great who conquered the Medo-Persian Empire. (Keep an eye on what is happening in Greece at this time).
The legs of iron symbolize the Roman Empire which was the fourth kingdom to oppress Israel in the times of the Gentiles. (Keep a close eye on the coalition being formed between Obama and the Pope).
The Roman Empire extended to the east and the west. It was the strongest and most terrible in history. Its army broke other nations to pieces.
Since that time (if we count Hitler), nine (9) world empires have oppressed the Jews.
(1) Byzantine Empire which grew out of the East Roman Empire.
(2) Muslim Empire which originated with the Arabs. Their religion is Islam.
Then Palestine fell to the (3) Seljuk Turks.
Later the Turks lost Palestine to the (4) Christian Crusaders who came from Europe to free the Holy Land from the Moslems.
The Crusaders were driven out by the (5) Marmadukes of Egypt.
In 1517 Palestine was conquered by the (6) Ottoman Turks (Turkey).
(7) In 1918 British troops drove out the Turks during World War I and it came under British rule but were still oppressed by Arab guerilla fighting.
(8) Next the Nazi terror of Jews and many returned to Palestine.
In May 1948, Israel became a nation again.
(9) Since 1948, they have been oppressed by the Arab Moslems.
Luke 21:20: “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you know that its desolation is near…` (Vs22) for these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. …there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.”
The United States of America is certainly a mixture of clay and iron. This could also represent the United Nations. The feet and toes represent the fifth kingdom to oppress Israel in the times of the Gentiles in the vision given to Nebuchadnezzar. It is traditionally believed to be the revised Roman Empire of 10 kingdoms, ruled by 10 kings from 10 separate capitals. These ten kingdoms represented by the 10 toes will exist in the last days. The global populace is now a mixture of all nations, religions and cultures.
Two empires oppressed Israel before Babylon---Egypt and Assyria. Five empires are described in the vision of the metallic man.
The Lord removes kings and sets up kings. He is still sovereign and can do as He wills among men. There is no power but of God (Rom. 13: 1-8). He gives power to all created beings. He will judge mankind for the misuse of that power (Mt. 25:41). God has pre-ordained the rise and fall of certain kingdoms. If any overstep His will in the exercise of their authority, they will be judged by Him. God has used unsaved men as rulers to carry out certain of His necessary purposes on earth.
Thus God has worked and is still working among nations to bring about His eternal purpose of testing man and bringing him into the Presence of His Glory. Satan and his agents seek to stop God’s Kingdom on earth. We get to decide which one we will serve and assist in Kingdom building. There are three votes. The devil votes against us, Jesus votes for us, whichever way we vote makes the difference.
2: 44-45: “In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Forasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter; and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.”
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church
Scripture from K.J.V. – I entered into the labors of teachings on the Book of Daniel by: Carolyn Sissom – Bible Studies-www.eastgateministries.com