Tag: Antichrist
The Mark of the Beast
Scripture reading for December 17: Revelation 13
“Then I saw another beast 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 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 to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is 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 that was wounded by the sword and 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 might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is the name of the beast or the number of his name.” Revelation 13:11-17
Much has been made of this passage concerning the beasts that arise from earth’s ‘sea’ of mankind in the last days. These ‘beasts’ are men made in God’s image but indwelt by Satan to fulfil the final purposes of God. The first beast was empowered by the dragon and had characteristics of a leopard, bear, and a lion. These beasts remind us of Daniel’s visions and the great kings who conquered the world through humanist power and ruled by occultic practices. (Daniel 7:1-8) But this beast has a fatal wound that has been healed and is the final world ruler of Satan’s rebellion and know as antichrist. (Revelation 13:1-10)
John describes a second beast who worked to bring worship to the first beast known also as the false prophet. This ‘beast’ would look like a lamb, obviously a counterfeit of Jesus Christ. However, when this beast spoke, it sounded like the dragon. This beast was allowed to do signs that would deceive those on the earth into idolatry, immorality, and ultimately receiving a mark on their right hand or forehead. The mark, 666, is the number of the antichrist’s name found on those rejecting Jesus Christ and serving the antichrist in false worship.
Does the use of the descriptions of these end-time beasts help you in understanding God’s plan? How is the worship of the beast being manifested in today’s world? What is the significance of the mark of the beast on right hands or foreheads?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I testify that You Alone are the Lamb of God Who shed blood for my forgiveness and salvation. Mark me with Your Holy Spirit that the work of my hands and the meditation of my mind and heart might please You. Amen.
Avoiding Deception
Scripture reading for November 21: 1 John 3
“Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as He is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.” 1 John 3:7-10
John addressed the believers as ‘little children’, a term of endearment and also an indicator of their state of spiritual maturity. John, the elder, had been around for a long time. He was once one of the ‘little children’ himself. In following Jesus, he had learned that the devil was behind sin and temptation. We are all sinners because we inherit a sin nature from our parents and as a result are under control of the devil. Jesus Christ came to destroy the works of the devil by offering new birth through His ‘seed’ and healing those oppressed by the devil and sickness. He was born of God the Father’s Seed! Through faith in Jesus, we receive God’s Seed in Jesus Christ. When born of God, we no longer desire to practice sin and are empowered with God’s love in the indwelling Holy Spirit.
For John it was very simple to determine if one was truly ‘born of God’. He observed their actions and attitudes to see whether or not they practiced righteousness and loved their neighbors. He plainly stated the truth that no one who is truly born of God can continue to sin. God’s Holy Spirit would bring conviction and lead them to repentance. Additionally, just knowing about Jesus Christ and even becoming a member of the church was not a test of true relationship. Deception was being promoted through the false teachers who were still practicing sin while claiming to know God. John referred to them as ‘antichrists’ who had been part of the church but had departed from truth. (1 John 2:18)
Have you ever observed someone whose talk and walk about being a follower of Christ did not add up? How would you evaluate your spiritual maturity and ability to spot deception? How does John’s letter help you to understand true spiritual rebirth?
Prayer: Father God, Thank You for John’s plain letter concerning deception and how to recognize it in my own life and in others. Fill me again today with Your Holy Spirit and discernment of spirits that I might avoid the spirit of antichrist in our world today. Amen.
The eternal kingdom of the Ancient of Days
Scripture reading for September 2: Daniel 7-9
Some of these prophesies have ties to King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2 as well as to the New Testament Book of Revelation and some of the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels. The vision in Daniel 7 dates back before the record of Daniel 5 where Belshazzar sees the handwriting on the wall.
Daniel saw the four winds of heaven stirring up a great sea and out of the sea came four great beasts. These beasts were like animals, great and ferocious. The first was like a lion and the second looked like a bear. The third beast was like a leopard and the fourth beast was something terrifying. It had iron teeth and ten horns on it’s head. It was devouring it’s victims and crushing them. (Daniel 7:4-7) These beasts correspond to the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2 and represent the kingdoms that followed that time, starting with Babylon, the lion, and moving to Persia, represented by the bear. The leopard was Greece and the ferocious beast was the Roman Empire of Jesus’ day. (Revelation 13:1-4)
Daniel saw another horn, a little horn that came up among the ten horns of the last beast. This horn had eyes like a man and a boastful mouth. (Daniel 7:8) Many commentators think that this horn is the evil ruler of the last days that will be known as Antichrist. (Revelation 13:5-7)(2nd Thessalonians 2:8-10)
In the midst of this vision of world history, political power and evil beasts, Daniel’s attention was taken to thrones that were set in place. One came and took His seat Whose Name was the “Ancient of Days”. This Ancient One had clothing that was brilliantly white and hair that was white like wool. His throne was ablaze with fire and full of wheels of fire, and a river of fire was flowing out before Him. There was a host attending Him that could not be numbered. This Ancient One was the judge in a court and there were books present that were opened. (Revelation 20:11-12)
As Daniel watched, the boastful horn was still speaking. Then the beast that the horn had come from was slain and thrown into the blazing fire. The other beasts had been stripped of their authority. Then, suddenly, before Daniel was one like a ‘Son of Man’ coming on the clouds of heaven. (Mark 13:26) He approached the Ancient of Days and was given glory, authority, and power over all nations and men. All worshiped Him in an everlasting kingdom that would never end! (Daniel 7:11-14)(Revelation 5:11-13)
The judgment of Babylon
Scripture reading for December 24th: Revelation 17
Key Scriptures: Revelation 17:1-6 “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk. And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pears, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of the earth’s abominations.” And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.”
John was shown a vision of a strange beast with seven heads and ten horns. On this beast, sat a woman who was dressed as a prostitute. John, lead by the Holy Spirit, saw this woman holding a cup in her hand, full of abominations and sexual immorality. On her forehead was written a mysterious name: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” This woman was drunk on the blood of the saints. This vision reveals the woman as the corrupt and false system of world religions, depicted by Babylon, that specialized in leading people into idolatry and immorality, violating God commandments. The beast she rides upon are the corrupt political systems culminating in the one world government of the antichrist. The cup represents the true spiritual condition of those involved in the false religion of the end times and the wicked and rebellious government of antichrist. God’s purposes will not be thwarted. His judgment will bring down this woman and the beast she rides!
Revelation 17:16-18 “And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, for God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.” And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father God, I trust You to reveal all that I need to know about the time that I live in these last days. Thank You for Your divine control of all events of history past and the present and the future. May Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as in heaven! Use me to accomplish Your purposes and fulfill Your Word in my time on earth.
Revelation 17:14 “They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with Him are called and chosen and faithful.”
Keys to abiding now and forever
Scripture reading for November 23rd: 1st John 2
Key Scriptures: 1st John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world–the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life–is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
John had walked with Jesus as possibly the youngest disciple. He was the only one not to die a martyr’s death and lived into his ninety’s. He was the bishop or overseer of the churches in Asia. He spoke plainly to the church to help them live a victorious life of faith and to enjoy God’s presence forever. In this letter, John gives some clear advice concerning the world system of the antichrist that was present even as John wrote his letter. First, believers are not of this world system anymore. They have been born again from above. They cannot love the world system and live in the flesh and follow its desires and please God the Father. Our Father gives good gifts and calls His children to holiness and consecration to prepare them for life with Him forever. Some in the church had departed to follow the flesh and antichrist spirits. This a sign of the last hour.
1st John 2:18-19 “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father, I choose to love You and to turn away from the world system. I belong to You and long for the kingdom of heaven and Your will on earth as in heaven. Give me and Your church discernment of spirits that we might avoid the antichrist spirit that is present now in this last hour. Help me to be watchful over those in the church that the world, flesh and satanic antichrist spirit might not snare any who believe.
1st John 2:26-27 “I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie–just as it has taught you, abide in Him.”
Receiving a full reward!
Scripture reading for November 26th: Ezekiel 34-37, 2nd John
Key Scriptures: 2nd John 7-10 “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.”
John wrote this short letter to a pastor and her congregation concerning the need for discernment. False teachers were attacking the church. These teachers were denying Jesus Christ came in the flesh and deceiving people with the spirit of antichrist. Care must be taken not to take them in or be taken in by their false doctrines. A full reward from God awaits the faithful and discerning.
Ezekiel 33:7 “”So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a Word from My mouth, you shall give them warning from Me.””
Prayer: Lord, thank You for clear warnings to be watchful and focused on Your Truth and Word. Help me to be watchful and a watchman over those in Your church. Amen.
The Beast Rules for 42 Months!
Scripture reading for December 16th: Revelation 13
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Revelation 13:1,5-8 “And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. . . .”The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. . .” “And he was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.”
During the tribulation satanic power will be allowed by God to exercise authority. Satan, the dragon, will empower a beast, the Antichrist, to make war against the saints and even to conquer them. During this time of trouble, many of those making the choice to follow Christ will pay for their faith with their lives. But God has promised that not a hair on their heads will perish! This time is limited to forty-two months and the beast will suffer God’s judgment in the Lake of Fire!
Observations for over-comers: Over-comers are given vision and understanding about the events of the last days and great tribulation to enable them to stand firm in faith! “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.” (Daniel 12:9-10)
Beware of ‘Antichrist’!
Scripture reading for December 19th: 1st John 1-5
John, the Apostle, wrote this letter to the church to counter some false teachers called “gnostics” who were saying that Jesus was just a ‘spirit’. These false teachers were telling church people that it did not matter what one did with his body because our spirit was all that mattered. But Jesus Christ did come in a human body lived in obedience to the Father. He taught us to live by grace through faith. When we break God’s law with our bodies, that is sin and we must confess and repent. (1st John 1:8-9) If we say we have no sin, we are living in deception, just like the false teachers.
We do not live in a dual world where we can separate the actions of our spirits and bodies. This popular teaching was drawing away a number of Christ’s followers. The problem was that it was taking them to Hell! John called the false teachers “antichrist”. (1st John 2:16)
The church evidently knew about “the Antichrist” that was to come in the last days. This person would be a world ruler who would deceive many with false signs and wonders. (2nd Thessalonians 2:8-11) Paul described him as the “man of lawlessness”. John further stated that many “antichrists” had already gone out into the world at the time of his writing. These false teachers had come from within the church. They left the church and drew a following of people who were deceived by their lies and loose living.
“Antichrist” is a term that literally means “one set over against Christ”. In our language today we would likely use “counterfeit” to describe them. They used scripture to justify their doctrines. They often used the name of Jesus Christ but lived in rebellion to what Jesus actually taught and stood for. They were legalistic and manipulative and lacked the love of the Lord. These types are still around today!
The best remedy against deception is to know the real thing and be filled with the Holy Spirit. John told his readers that they had a real anointing that would teach them all things. (1st John 2:20, 27) The Holy Spirit would keep them from deception. The One who lived in them was greater that the deceiver in the world! (1st John 4:4)
A panorama of the future!
Scripture reading for September 3rd: Daniel 7-9
Daniel saw the four winds of heaven stirring up a great sea and out of the sea came four great beasts. The first was like a lion and the second looked like a bear. The third beast was like a leopard and the fourth beast was something terrifying. It had iron teeth and ten horns on it’s head. It was devouring it’s victims and crushing them. (Daniel 7:4-7) These beasts corresponded to the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2 and represented the kingdoms that followed that time, starting with Babylon, the lion, and moving to Persia, the bear. The leopard was Greece and the ferocious beast was the Roman Empire of Jesus’ day. (Revelation 13:1-4)
Daniel saw another horn, a little horn that came up among the ten horns of the last beast. This horn had eyes like a man and a boastful mouth. (Daniel 7:8) Many commentators think that this horn represents the evil ruler of the last days that will be known as ‘Antichrist’. (Revelation 13:5-7)(2nd Thessalonians 2:8-10)
Next, Daniel’s attention focused on thrones that were set in place. One came and took His seat whose name was the “Ancient of Days”. This Ancient One had clothing that was brilliantly white and hair that was white like wool. His throne was ablaze with fire and full of wheels of fire, and a river of fire was flowing out before Him. There was a host attending Him that could not be numbered. This Ancient One was the judge in a court and there were books present that were opened. (Daniel 7:9-10) (Revelation 20:11-12)
As Daniel watched, the last beast that the little horn had come from was slain and thrown into the blazing fire. Then, suddenly, before Daniel was one like a ‘Son of Man’ coming on the clouds of heaven. (Mark 13:26) He approached the Ancient of Days and was given glory, authority, and power over all nations and men. All worshiped Him in an everlasting kingdom that would never end! (Daniel 7:11-14)(Revelation 5:11-13)
Daniel’s visions are an amazing panorama of history from his day down to the second coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man! Be encouraged today that the Ancient of Days is in charge! The evil world system will be destroyed and the Ancient of Days will reign forever!
Walking in truth and love!
Scripture reading for December 6th: 2nd John 1-13
John is concerned about love and truth in his letters. He was the disciple ‘whom Jesus loved’! He knew the love of Jesus from a perspective that others may not have. He was one of the closest to the Master and wrote this short letter to a group of believers to encourage them to walk in love and truth.
“The elder, to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth–and not I only, but also all who know the truth–because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever. Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.” (2nd John 1-3) John was ‘the elder’, because of his age and position as an apostle. The truth John was speaking of was Jesus Christ as God’s Son and our Savior. All who have this truth, will love others who hold to the truth and walk in it.
“And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to His commands.” (2nd John 5-6a) John affirms the simple commands of Jesus Christ. These are old commands. Loving God is obedience to His commands to love Him and love others. It is so simple that a child can understand!
However, love must exercise discernment in the last days. “Many deceivers who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but the you may be rewarded fully.” (2nd John 7-8) John warned this church group and their female leader to be watchful. They were not to welcome or take in any of the false teachers into their home or church. “Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work.” (2nd John 11)
God has great joy when His children walk in love and truth. Love must be discerning, however. The last days are filled with deception. Ask God to give you discernment and help you to apply the scriptures from this short letter. He wants you fully rewarded!