Shall we pray.
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Oh mighty Father, we
want to thank You first of all
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and praise Your name because
You have given us Your Word,
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a sure guide, a certain
compass, in uncertain times.
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We thank You, Father,
that we are able with freedom
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to open that Word, to study it,
and to practice it in our lives.
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And Father, as we study
this very important subject on
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antichrist sitting
in the temple of God,
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we ask that You will
soften hearts and that You will
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open minds that we
might receive the truth
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as it is in Jesus.
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Thank You, Father, for hearing
and answering our prayer,
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for we ask it in
Jesus' name, amen.
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One of the churches that
the apostle Paul established
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was the church of Thessalonica,
the church of the Thessalonians.
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And in 1 Thessalonians chapter
4 and verses 15 through 17,
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the apostle Paul
wrote to the Thessalonians
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about what would happen
with those who died in Christ
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and those who were
alive when Jesus comes.
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As we begin our
study, I would like to read
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from 1 Thessalonians 4
and verses 15 through 17.
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Because in this passage,
evidently the Thessalonians
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got the impression that
Jesus was coming in the days
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of the apostle
Paul, in their days.
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Notice what we find in verse 15.
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Notice he's including himself.
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That is, those who are dead.
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And now verse 17
repeats the same thought
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that we found in verse 15.
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That is, with those
who died and resurrected.
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Twice in this
passage the apostle Paul
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gives the impression
that he and the Thessalonians
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were going to be
alive when Jesus comes.
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In verse 15 he says that,
"We who are alive and remain
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until the coming of the Lord..."
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And then in verse 17 he
repeats, "Then we who are alive
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and remain shall be
caught up together."
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So the Thessalonians
got a wrong impression
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of what the apostle
Paul was really saying.
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What the apostle Paul was
saying is that if we are alive,
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then we're going
to be translated.
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He's predicting that generation
was going to be alive.
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But they misunderstood him.
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And so the apostle Paul
felt it necessary to write
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a second letter
to the Thessalonians
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where he explained a little
bit better what needed to happen
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before Jesus would come.
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And so we want to study
2 Thessalonians chapter 2,
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and basically the first
13 verses in our study today
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and also in our next lecture.
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So let's go to 2 Thessalonians
chapter 2 and verses 1 and 2.
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Here the apostle
Paul says, "Now, brethren,
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concerning the coming..."
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That's a word
you need to remember.
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That's the word, parousia.
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That's a Greek word,
very important word, parousia.
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"Now, brethren,
concerning the parousia,"
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or, "the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ..."
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Notice, it's not
Him gathering to us.
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It's us
gathering together to Him.
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Remember 1
Thessalonians 4 where it says
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we'll be caught up to join Him.
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Now which coming
is this referring to?
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It's referring to the
second coming of Christ.
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So he says, "Now, brethren,
concerning the coming of
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our Lord Jesus Christ and
our gathering together to Him,
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we ask you not to be soon
shaken in mind or troubled,
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either by spirit..."
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That would probably mean,
by a prophetic dream or vision.
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"...or by word..."
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That is, "Because
somebody told you so."
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"...or by letter..."
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"A supposed letter
that I have written."
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"...as if from us, as though
the day of Christ had come."
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"So if somebody tells you
they had a vision or a dream,
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or if somebody tells you
that, you know, they heard
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somebody say that Jesus
has come, or if you even
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see a letter that
appears to be signed by me,
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don't believe it."
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And so we find that
the apostle Paul says,
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"Don't believe the idea
that Jesus has come yet.
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Because certain things have to
transpire before Jesus comes."
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Let's go now to 2 Thessalonians
chapter 2 and verse 3,
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and we're going to spend a lot
of time in verses 3 and 4 and 5.
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And then in our next
lecture, we're going to study
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verses 6 and following.
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Now notice 2 Thessalonians
chapter 2 and verse 3.
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Which day would that be?
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The day of the what?
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Of the parousia.
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The day of the coming
of Christ is the context.
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Now there's several things
that we need to say about this.
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First of all, "falling
away," is preceded by the
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definite article, "the."
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This is not just a
general falling away.
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This is a specific falling
away that the apostle Paul
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had spoken to them
about and which is predicted,
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we're going to
notice, in the Old Testament.
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And so the apostle Paul is
saying that "the" falling away
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has to come first.
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Not just a falling away,
but the specific falling away.
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Now I need to say
something also about that
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expression, "falling away."
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It actually is a
translation of one Greek word.
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And that Greek
word is, apostasia.
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Now what word do we get
in English from, "apostasia?"
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We get the word, apostasy.
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Now the question
is, what is an apostasy?
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Can you apostatize from
the faith if you did not
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belong to the
faith to start out with?
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Of course not.
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Apostasy means that you embraced
the truth at some point,
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and then you forsook the truth
or you fell away from the truth.
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That's the reason
why it's translated here
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in the New Kings
James, "the falling away."
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But the word is, apostasy.
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In other words, the
apostle Paul is saying,
00:08:03.69\00:08:05.15
"Don't let anyone deceive you,
the apostasy is going to come
00:08:05.18\00:08:10.19
before Jesus returns."
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And then he says, "And
the man of sin is revealed,
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the son of perdition."
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So do you understand
what we're dealing with when
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we talk about "the" apostasy?
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Did this mean that originally
those who were going to
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participate in this apostasy
belonged to the Christian faith
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and were genuine Christians?
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Absolutely.
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And this is a specific apostasy.
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Not just
apostasies are going to come,
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or an apostasy is going to come.
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This is "the"
explicit and definite apostasy.
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Now let's go to the next phrase.
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Once again verse 3...
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That is, the day of
the coming of Christ.
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That is, "the"
apostasy comes first.
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Now let's discuss the
expression, "the man of sin."
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Of course we need
to ask the question,
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what is sin, according
to the biblical definition?
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If this is the man of sin, this
is a system that personifies sin
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and enjoys sin.
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So the question is, what is sin?
00:09:24.62\00:09:27.16
1 John chapter 3 and verse 4 has
the biblical definition of sin.
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It says there, "Whoever
commits sin also commits
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lawlessness..."
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That's a very important
word because it's use in
00:09:40.44\00:09:42.51
2 Thessalonians 2.
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And so it says, "Whoever commits
sin also commits lawlessness,
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and sin is..." What?
00:09:49.08\00:09:51.63
"...sin is lawlessness."
00:09:51.83\00:09:54.04
Or as the King James
Version says, "Sin is the
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transgression of the law."
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So the man of sin is going
to teach people to do what?
00:09:59.21\00:10:02.35
To transgress or
disobey God's law.
00:10:02.65\00:10:06.36
Now this brings to
mind the little horn that we
00:10:06.99\00:10:09.55
studied about, remember.
00:10:09.58\00:10:10.92
The little horn that is
mentioned in Daniel chapter 7
00:10:11.09\00:10:13.71
and verse 25 who spoke
blasphemies against God
00:10:13.74\00:10:17.65
and persecuted the
saints of the Most High.
00:10:17.68\00:10:20.91
And he ruled for a
period of 1260 years.
00:10:20.94\00:10:25.16
And we're also told that
the little horn thought that
00:10:25.19\00:10:28.92
he could change, what?
00:10:28.95\00:10:30.34
God's law.
00:10:30.66\00:10:31.86
You see, the man of sin and the
little horn are the same power,
00:10:31.89\00:10:36.18
but with a different name.
00:10:36.64\00:10:37.91
Let's read Daniel
chapter 7 and verse 25.
00:10:37.94\00:10:40.70
Is he going to attack God's law?
00:10:51.76\00:10:54.07
Absolutely.
00:10:54.10\00:10:55.20
And so this apostasy is
going to involve the law of God.
00:11:01.18\00:11:05.18
The man of sin is a system
or a power that has an onslaught
00:11:05.38\00:11:12.33
against the law of God.
00:11:12.36\00:11:13.79
Because sin is
transgression of the law.
00:11:13.82\00:11:17.43
Now let's notice another
expression that we find here.
00:11:17.75\00:11:21.28
Once again verse 3...
00:11:21.55\00:11:23.00
That is, the day of
the coming of Christ.
00:11:26.58\00:11:28.38
Or "the" apostasy comes first.
00:11:30.92\00:11:33.42
"...and the man of sin..."
00:11:33.63\00:11:35.36
Which we've noticed is
transgression of the law.
00:11:35.39\00:11:38.04
"...is revealed,
the son of perdition."
00:11:38.07\00:11:41.47
I need to tell you something
about that word, "revealed."
00:11:42.04\00:11:45.08
It's the word, apocalypse.
00:11:46.29\00:11:48.81
The same word that is
translated, "revelation,"
00:11:48.84\00:11:51.62
in Revelation
chapter 1 and verse 1,
00:11:51.65\00:11:54.28
"The revelation
of Jesus Christ."
00:11:54.31\00:11:56.32
What does this mean, "revealed?"
00:11:57.15\00:11:59.69
Well, it would
help us to know what the
00:11:59.79\00:12:01.81
antonym of, "revealed," is.
00:12:01.84\00:12:03.49
What is the antonym or
the opposite of, "revealed?"
00:12:03.59\00:12:06.74
It is, "concealed."
00:12:07.23\00:12:08.82
So the question is, was
this power concealed even in the
00:12:08.85\00:12:12.80
days in which the
apostle Paul wrote?
00:12:12.83\00:12:15.04
Absolutely.
00:12:15.07\00:12:16.11
In fact, the word,
"revealed," means, "to unveil."
00:12:16.23\00:12:20.64
It means, to take away the veil.
00:12:20.94\00:12:23.41
In other words, in the
days of the apostle Paul
00:12:23.85\00:12:26.85
this power was already
wanting to manifest itself.
00:12:27.04\00:12:30.72
If you read, for example,
the three epistles of John,
00:12:31.01\00:12:35.32
he deals a lot with
the law and with the
00:12:35.79\00:12:38.59
commandments, doesn't he.
00:12:38.62\00:12:40.14
"If anyone says, 'I
know Him,' and does not keep
00:12:40.17\00:12:43.18
His
commandments, he is a..." What?
00:12:43.21\00:12:45.16
"...he is a liar."
00:12:45.19\00:12:46.44
And he says, "His
commandments are not..." What?
00:12:46.47\00:12:49.02
"...are not burdensome."
00:12:49.22\00:12:50.25
Time and again in the
epistles of John, John is saying
00:12:50.33\00:12:53.28
we need to keep what?
00:12:53.38\00:12:55.32
God's commandments.
00:12:55.63\00:12:57.00
So was there a problem already
in the days of the apostles
00:12:57.21\00:13:01.27
with lawlessness
wanting to show its ugly head?
00:13:01.30\00:13:05.42
Absolutely.
00:13:05.45\00:13:06.48
It wanted to manifest itself.
00:13:06.51\00:13:08.81
It wanted to unveil
itself or reveal itself.
00:13:08.84\00:13:12.27
But at that time, it
was under the surface.
00:13:12.30\00:13:14.81
It was concealed just waiting a
certain moment to reveal itself.
00:13:14.84\00:13:19.02
And that we're going to
talk about in the second lecture
00:13:19.23\00:13:21.56
of this two part series.
00:13:21.59\00:13:23.70
Now let's go once
again to 2 Thessalonians
00:13:23.93\00:13:27.27
chapter 2 and verse 3, and take
a look at another expression.
00:13:27.30\00:13:31.61
It says here once again, "Let
no one deceive you by any means;
00:13:32.30\00:13:37.23
for that Day," the day of
the coming of Christ, parousia,
00:13:37.48\00:13:41.41
"will not come
unless the falling away,"
00:13:41.61\00:13:43.91
that is the apostasy, "comes
first, and the man of sin,"
00:13:43.94\00:13:48.63
which is
transgression of the law...
00:13:48.66\00:13:50.04
Somehow this system
is going to teach people
00:13:50.07\00:13:51.92
to transgress the law.
00:13:51.95\00:13:53.28
"...is revealed," which means
that he's already concealed,
00:13:53.31\00:13:56.49
according to the
epistles of John.
00:13:56.52\00:13:58.43
And also Acts chapter 20
speaks about apostasy wanting
00:13:58.46\00:14:01.60
to show its head.
00:14:01.63\00:14:03.35
And then notice the name
that is given to this system.
00:14:03.48\00:14:06.40
"...the son of..." What?
00:14:06.73\00:14:08.50
"...the son of perdition."
00:14:08.70\00:14:10.51
Now we need to dwell
for a while on that one.
00:14:10.71\00:14:12.85
That's a very
important expression.
00:14:12.88\00:14:15.07
A very important name.
00:14:15.10\00:14:16.28
Do you know there's
only one other person
00:14:16.73\00:14:19.19
in all of the Bible that
is called by that exact name,
00:14:20.25\00:14:24.57
"the son of perdition."
00:14:24.60\00:14:25.90
And that person
was Judas Iscariot.
00:14:26.11\00:14:29.37
Go with me to
John 17 and verse 12.
00:14:29.94\00:14:32.28
And we're going to
take a look at this name
00:14:32.31\00:14:35.81
as it is given to
this apostate disciple.
00:14:35.84\00:14:39.23
It says there in John
chapter 17 and verse 12...
00:14:39.72\00:14:42.47
Here Jesus is
praying to His Father.
00:14:47.66\00:14:49.56
So what is Judas called?
00:15:01.48\00:15:03.33
Judas is called,
the son of perdition.
00:15:03.53\00:15:06.53
Now in Christendom there
is a fundamental misconception
00:15:07.20\00:15:12.18
about the antichrist.
00:15:12.21\00:15:13.74
Most Christians either
believe that the antichrist
00:15:14.45\00:15:18.18
was a fellow that lived in the
past named Antiochus Epiphanes,
00:15:18.21\00:15:21.95
but most conservative Christians
believe that the antichrist
00:15:22.55\00:15:26.08
is a future nasty
individual, perhaps an atheist,
00:15:26.11\00:15:30.20
or perhaps a
blasphemer openly against God
00:15:30.51\00:15:34.77
that will sit in the Jerusalem
temple, rebuilt by that time,
00:15:34.87\00:15:39.30
and he will curse God.
00:15:39.33\00:15:40.99
That's the view that most
conservative Christians have
00:15:41.92\00:15:45.29
concerning the antichrist.
00:15:45.32\00:15:47.90
But when we examine
the Bible carefully,
00:15:48.71\00:15:51.20
we notice that this is
not an accurate description
00:15:51.59\00:15:55.64
of the antichrist.
00:15:55.67\00:15:57.02
Let me just share with you
four reasons why the antichrist
00:15:57.47\00:16:01.95
is not an apostate blasphemer
who curses Christianity
00:16:01.98\00:16:06.80
and is anti-Christian.
00:16:06.83\00:16:08.62
But rather, the antichrist
is an insider who claims to
00:16:08.75\00:16:13.80
serve Jesus Christ,
but actually betrays the
00:16:13.83\00:16:17.26
cause of Jesus Christ.
00:16:17.29\00:16:18.81
I'm going to
give you four reasons.
00:16:19.01\00:16:20.42
Reason number one,
all theologians are agreed
00:16:21.10\00:16:25.68
that the man of
sin, the little horn,
00:16:26.07\00:16:29.73
and the beast
represent the same power.
00:16:30.07\00:16:34.07
They represent the antichrist.
00:16:34.63\00:16:36.64
Now if the beast is the
same as the little horn,
00:16:37.30\00:16:40.34
and the little horn is
the same as the man of sin,
00:16:40.37\00:16:43.06
that must mean that the
beast represents a system,
00:16:44.11\00:16:49.46
not a person.
00:16:49.49\00:16:50.77
You say, "Why is that?"
00:16:50.80\00:16:51.98
Because we've already studied
that beasts in Bible prophecy
00:16:52.49\00:16:55.91
represent what?
00:16:55.94\00:16:57.43
They represent not individuals,
they represent kingdoms.
00:16:57.72\00:17:02.38
So in other words, very clearly,
because the beast is the same
00:17:03.12\00:17:07.16
as the man of sin, and a
beast represents a kingdom,
00:17:07.19\00:17:10.67
the man of sin
must represent a what?
00:17:10.70\00:17:13.37
Must represent a kingdom.
00:17:13.40\00:17:16.06
Secondly, we are told that
the little horn and the beast
00:17:16.64\00:17:21.34
ruled for 1260 years.
00:17:21.97\00:17:27.09
We've already
studied that prophecy.
00:17:27.12\00:17:28.85
They ruled for 1260 years.
00:17:29.21\00:17:31.94
Let me ask you, how could
this be a literal individual?
00:17:31.97\00:17:34.57
Do you know anyone who has lived
1260 years in recent times?
00:17:34.60\00:17:39.13
Absolutely not.
00:17:39.43\00:17:40.57
And so it cannot be a literal
individual in the future.
00:17:40.85\00:17:45.01
Number three, the Bible
tells us that this man of sin
00:17:45.64\00:17:49.54
already was there in
the days of the apostle Paul
00:17:49.57\00:17:53.19
just wanting to show his head,
wanting to manifest himself.
00:17:53.22\00:17:57.24
In other words, he was
already there, but he was what?
00:17:57.27\00:17:59.85
He was concealed,
according to what we studied.
00:17:59.95\00:18:02.40
The mystery of lawlessness,
it says, was already at work
00:18:02.43\00:18:06.61
in the days of the apostle Paul.
00:18:06.64\00:18:08.17
But you know what's interesting?
00:18:08.47\00:18:09.66
The Bible says that the man
of sin will be destroyed by the
00:18:09.86\00:18:12.78
brightness of
the coming of Christ.
00:18:12.81\00:18:14.57
So how is it possible that
this could be an individual,
00:18:15.27\00:18:18.43
a person, if this was already
trying to manifest itself
00:18:18.46\00:18:21.98
in the days of Paul and
it's going to be destroyed
00:18:22.01\00:18:24.59
at the second coming of Christ?
00:18:24.62\00:18:26.06
That would mean you
would have to have a person
00:18:26.09\00:18:27.71
that lived from the
days of Paul to the time
00:18:27.74\00:18:29.63
of the coming of Christ.
00:18:29.66\00:18:31.08
It cannot be a
literal individual.
00:18:32.00\00:18:34.19
Now number four, the
argument that is used
00:18:34.72\00:18:38.03
to try and prove that
this is an individual person
00:18:38.06\00:18:40.53
who will arise in the future is
the fact that he is referred to
00:18:40.56\00:18:45.06
with the masculine
personal pronoun, "he."
00:18:45.09\00:18:48.13
"The man of sin."
00:18:49.09\00:18:50.34
"He will manifest himself."
00:18:50.37\00:18:52.14
But that's not a good argument.
00:18:52.98\00:18:54.53
Because the fact that
the personal pronoun, "he,"
00:18:55.16\00:18:58.44
is use does not
necessarily mean that this is
00:18:58.47\00:19:01.13
one individual person.
00:19:01.16\00:19:02.85
Let me give you some
other biblical examples.
00:19:02.88\00:19:04.89
For example, in
Hebrews chapter 9 and verse 7,
00:19:05.36\00:19:07.53
which we're not going
to read, the expression,
00:19:07.56\00:19:10.29
"the high priest," is used
to describe the whole succession
00:19:10.32\00:19:15.25
of the priests in
the Old Testament system.
00:19:15.28\00:19:17.56
It's not referring to a
specific individual high priest.
00:19:18.00\00:19:20.82
It uses the generic
term, "the high priest,"
00:19:20.85\00:19:24.19
and applies to all of the
priests of the Hebrew system.
00:19:24.22\00:19:27.21
Another example in 1
Samuel chapter 8 and verse 11.
00:19:27.99\00:19:31.85
It speaks about, "the king."
00:19:31.88\00:19:33.95
But if you look at this
verse, it's not describing one
00:19:34.11\00:19:36.89
particular individual king.
00:19:36.92\00:19:38.71
The expression, "the king,"
is referring to all of the
00:19:38.99\00:19:42.02
succession of kings
in the Hebrew theocracy.
00:19:42.05\00:19:45.12
Revelation chapter 12 uses
the expression, "the woman."
00:19:45.64\00:19:49.52
This is not speaking
about an individual woman.
00:19:49.81\00:19:52.28
It's talking about
God's corporate church.
00:19:52.31\00:19:56.34
And in 2 Timothy
chapter 3 and verse 17,
00:19:56.72\00:20:00.01
it says that the Bible was
given that "the man of God"
00:20:00.29\00:20:05.38
might be complete.
00:20:05.41\00:20:07.32
Now is that
referring to one particular man
00:20:07.55\00:20:09.67
that's going to be
complete by reading the Bible?
00:20:09.70\00:20:11.72
No, it's speaking
about everyone who, what?
00:20:11.75\00:20:14.68
Everyone who reads
and studies Scripture.
00:20:14.71\00:20:17.15
Are you with me?
00:20:17.18\00:20:18.26
Now, Scripture makes it
very clear that this antichrist
00:20:18.67\00:20:24.41
is going to be like Judas.
00:20:24.65\00:20:27.10
He's going to be
covetous, conniving,
00:20:28.55\00:20:32.45
politically ambitious,
an insider who professes
00:20:33.06\00:20:39.01
loyalty to Jesus Christ
while he is working in secret
00:20:39.04\00:20:43.44
behind the back of Jesus
and undermining and betraying
00:20:43.47\00:20:48.13
His truth.
00:20:48.33\00:20:49.52
Now, an author that I
have read several books from,
00:20:50.85\00:20:54.55
and I totally disagree
with his futuristic methodology,
00:20:55.00\00:20:58.89
was right on target when he
described what the antichrist
00:20:59.42\00:21:02.92
is going to be like.
00:21:02.95\00:21:04.03
The name of this
author is Dave Hunt.
00:21:04.52\00:21:06.27
Some of you probably
read something from him.
00:21:06.30\00:21:09.86
You know, there are
several things that he says that
00:21:09.89\00:21:11.57
are right on target.
00:21:11.60\00:21:12.63
But of course, his view that the
Jews are going to be restored
00:21:12.66\00:21:15.42
and the temple is going
to be rebuilt, and you know,
00:21:15.45\00:21:17.99
the literal nations are
coming against Jerusalem,
00:21:18.02\00:21:20.88
and the antichrist
is a literal individual
00:21:20.91\00:21:23.13
who's going to
sit in the temple;
00:21:23.16\00:21:24.22
well we don't agree
with that methodology.
00:21:24.25\00:21:26.21
But notice how he
described the antichrist.
00:21:26.24\00:21:28.39
I think he's right on target.
00:21:28.42\00:21:29.78
In his book, Global Peace,
pages 7 and 8, he said this,
00:21:30.16\00:21:33.72
"While the Greek prefix, 'anti,'
generally means, 'against,'
00:21:34.14\00:21:40.12
or, 'opposed to,' it can
also mean, 'in place of,'
00:21:40.15\00:21:44.82
or, 'a substitute for.'
00:21:44.85\00:21:46.92
The antichrist will
embody both meanings.
00:21:47.95\00:21:51.26
He will oppose Christ
while pretending to be Christ.
00:21:51.63\00:21:55.94
Instead of a frontal
assault against Christianity,
00:21:56.65\00:22:00.08
the evil one will
pervert the church from within
00:22:00.11\00:22:04.49
by posing as its founder.
00:22:05.06\00:22:07.41
He will cunningly misrepresent
Christ while pretending
00:22:08.00\00:22:12.07
to be Christ.
00:22:12.10\00:22:13.55
And right here is
where the plot thickens.
00:22:13.92\00:22:16.85
If the antichrist will
indeed pretend to be Christ,
00:22:16.88\00:22:21.49
then his followers
must be Christians."
00:22:21.59\00:22:25.86
That's a very perceptive
description of the antichrist.
00:22:26.86\00:22:30.92
I don't know why Dave Hunt
can't see that this has been
00:22:31.19\00:22:33.64
fulfilled in the Middle Ages.
00:22:33.67\00:22:35.17
Probably because his futurism
has blinded him from the
00:22:35.88\00:22:38.69
possibility of considering
that the Roman Catholic Papacy
00:22:38.72\00:22:42.58
fulfills this picture or this
portrayal of the antichrist.
00:22:42.61\00:22:46.61
Now if this system is
going to be like Judas,
00:22:47.08\00:22:49.92
then we have to study
the character of Judas.
00:22:50.16\00:22:53.10
And once we know
what Judas was like,
00:22:53.67\00:22:56.04
then we're going to
know what this system that
00:22:56.07\00:22:58.72
claims to follow Christ
and claims to exalt Christ,
00:22:59.08\00:23:02.65
but really
betrays Him, looks like.
00:23:02.68\00:23:05.27
The first thing that I would
like us to notice about Judas
00:23:05.78\00:23:08.46
is that he was a
high octane administrator.
00:23:08.49\00:23:12.05
We're told in the book,
Desire Of Ages, page 294,
00:23:13.07\00:23:16.81
"He was of
commanding appearance,
00:23:17.18\00:23:19.73
a man of keen discernment,
and executive ability.
00:23:20.05\00:23:25.74
And they," that is the
disciples, "commended him
00:23:26.94\00:23:30.23
to Jesus as one who would
greatly assist in His work.
00:23:30.26\00:23:34.84
They were surprised that
Jesus received him so coolly."
00:23:35.25\00:23:39.85
So here was a man
who had great cunning
00:23:40.48\00:23:43.52
and great administrative
and executive ability.
00:23:43.55\00:23:47.25
He was a natural born
leader, in other words.
00:23:47.28\00:23:51.10
Now one of the great
defects that Judas had is that
00:23:51.91\00:23:55.31
he coveted political power.
00:23:55.34\00:23:57.91
He wanted Jesus to
occupy the literal throne.
00:23:58.47\00:24:01.98
He wanted Him to take over
the kingdoms of this world.
00:24:02.08\00:24:05.32
You remember when
Jesus fed the five thousand.
00:24:05.70\00:24:08.41
You remember that episode?
00:24:09.62\00:24:11.06
The story is told
in John chapter 6.
00:24:11.16\00:24:13.80
And the Bible tells us
in verse 15 that when He
00:24:14.12\00:24:16.93
fed the five thousand,
the multitudes wanted to grab
00:24:16.96\00:24:20.19
Jesus and wanted to
force Him to become king
00:24:20.22\00:24:23.63
of a literal kingdom.
00:24:23.68\00:24:24.71
Let's read that verse,
John chapter 6 and verse 15.
00:24:24.74\00:24:27.93
Now if you go down to verse 71,
we're going to come back there
00:24:40.99\00:24:44.40
in a few moments, you're
going to see that the ringleader
00:24:44.43\00:24:47.44
in this movement
was Judas Iscariot.
00:24:47.47\00:24:50.23
Because Judas
always wanted Jesus to take
00:24:50.26\00:24:52.69
over political power
and to rule the world.
00:24:52.72\00:24:55.86
Now notice what we find
in Desire Of Ages, page 718,
00:24:56.54\00:25:01.00
on this particular point
concerning the aspirations
00:25:01.41\00:25:04.40
of Judas when Jesus
fed the five thousand.
00:25:04.43\00:25:07.03
It says there, "Not withstanding
the Savior's own teaching,
00:25:07.47\00:25:11.06
Judas was continually
advancing the idea that Christ
00:25:11.67\00:25:16.31
would reign as
king in Jerusalem.
00:25:16.34\00:25:19.21
At the feeding of the
five thousand, he tried
00:25:19.45\00:25:22.87
to bring this about."
00:25:22.90\00:25:25.49
So who was behind this
idea of Jesus taking the throne
00:25:25.79\00:25:28.82
and exercising
political power on earth?
00:25:29.12\00:25:31.83
It was Judas Iscariot.
00:25:32.10\00:25:33.72
He was the ringleader.
00:25:33.92\00:25:35.40
He was at the
head of this movement.
00:25:35.43\00:25:37.72
So one of the great defects of
Judas is that he wanted power.
00:25:38.26\00:25:42.32
He wanted political power.
00:25:42.35\00:25:44.09
Another defect that Judas
had is that he was covetous.
00:25:45.07\00:25:48.94
He feigned a love for the poor.
00:25:49.04\00:25:51.94
But it wasn't love for
the poor that moved him.
00:25:52.39\00:25:55.16
He was covetous
and he loved money.
00:25:55.68\00:25:58.81
Notice John chapter 12
and verses 4 through 6.
00:25:59.14\00:26:02.10
This is when Mary
washed the feet of Jesus.
00:26:02.26\00:26:06.63
And Judas sanctimoniously
said, "Well, couldn't we have
00:26:06.66\00:26:10.77
spent this money on something
better to help the poor?"
00:26:10.80\00:26:14.21
Let's read that
passage, John chapter 12
00:26:14.53\00:26:16.63
and verses 4 through 6.
00:26:16.66\00:26:18.40
"But one of His
disciples, Judas Iscariot..."
00:26:18.71\00:26:21.12
And what did
Judas betray Jesus for?
00:26:44.35\00:26:47.79
He betrayed Jesus for money.
00:26:48.23\00:26:50.44
Notice Luke chapter 22
and verses 3 through 6.
00:26:50.85\00:26:54.61
Luke 22 and verses 3 through 6.
00:26:54.64\00:26:57.46
So he wanted political power,
00:27:25.16\00:27:27.27
and he wanted to
control the resources.
00:27:27.47\00:27:30.43
He had the purse.
00:27:30.53\00:27:31.80
He was
covetous, he wanted money.
00:27:31.83\00:27:34.06
Money and power.
00:27:34.09\00:27:35.71
Now the Bible also
makes it very clear that Judas
00:27:36.45\00:27:39.40
was Satan's representative.
00:27:39.65\00:27:41.60
You say, "Really?"
00:27:42.96\00:27:44.22
Absolutely.
00:27:44.42\00:27:45.45
After Jesus fed the
five thousand and Judas tried
00:27:45.75\00:27:50.10
to make Jesus king, we find a
very interesting declaration of
00:27:50.13\00:27:54.77
Jesus in John 6
and verses 70 and 71.
00:27:54.80\00:27:58.46
John 6 and verses 70 and 71.
00:27:58.49\00:28:01.89
"Jesus answered them..."
00:28:02.25\00:28:03.90
He's speaking to His disciples.
00:28:04.26\00:28:06.02
Wow, what a way
to refer to Judas.
00:28:12.26\00:28:13.96
"One of you is a..." What?
00:28:13.99\00:28:15.49
"...is a devil."
00:28:15.78\00:28:16.81
In fact, it was Satan who
prompted Judas to deliver Jesus.
00:28:25.14\00:28:30.77
Notice John
chapter 13 and verse 2.
00:28:30.80\00:28:33.17
John 13 and verse 2.
00:28:33.20\00:28:34.54
And at this point, Judas
has not crossed the line.
00:28:34.57\00:28:38.01
He can still change his
mind and repent at this point.
00:28:38.30\00:28:41.74
It says there in
John 13 and verse 2,
00:28:41.77\00:28:43.90
when Jesus is sitting with
His disciples to have supper
00:28:43.93\00:28:46.72
before the last supper...
00:28:46.75\00:28:48.10
So who was it that put
it into the heart of Judas
00:28:58.32\00:29:01.20
to betray Jesus Christ?
00:29:01.23\00:29:02.68
It was Satan.
00:29:02.71\00:29:03.74
So who's emissary or
representative was Judas?
00:29:03.77\00:29:06.95
He was the visible
representative of whom?
00:29:07.06\00:29:09.82
Of Satan.
00:29:10.12\00:29:11.43
Do you know where he
actually crossed the line?
00:29:12.48\00:29:14.53
We're told in
John 13 and verse 27.
00:29:14.95\00:29:17.98
When Jesus gave
Judas the piece of bread.
00:29:18.21\00:29:20.68
He said, "Whoever I
give this piece of bread to,
00:29:20.71\00:29:23.35
he's the one who's
going to betray Me."
00:29:23.52\00:29:25.23
The Bible says
in John 13 verse 27,
00:29:25.84\00:29:28.66
"Now after the piece of
bread, Satan entered him."
00:29:28.69\00:29:34.19
In other words, he
was demon possessed.
00:29:34.64\00:29:37.16
Did he claim to be a
follower of Jesus? Yes.
00:29:37.42\00:29:40.22
Was he a part of
the inner circle?
00:29:40.25\00:29:42.24
Absolutely.
00:29:42.27\00:29:43.32
And yet, underhandedly he was
trying to betray Jesus Christ.
00:29:43.35\00:29:48.36
Interesting, Desire Of
Ages, page 295, Ellen White
00:29:48.98\00:29:52.17
explains, "Judas
became a representative
00:29:52.20\00:29:56.72
of the enemy of Christ."
00:29:56.75\00:29:58.31
He was the
representative, not of Christ,
00:29:58.34\00:30:00.81
but the representative of
the enemy of Jesus Christ.
00:30:00.84\00:30:04.38
But do you know
that he was a hypocrite.
00:30:05.30\00:30:06.98
And he had even
the disciple fooled.
00:30:07.18\00:30:09.44
Even the inner circle was fooled
00:30:09.54\00:30:11.55
as to the identity
of this antichrist.
00:30:11.58\00:30:13.96
Matthew chapter 26 and
verse 25 when Jesus said,
00:30:14.30\00:30:18.05
"One of you is
going to betray Me,"
00:30:18.08\00:30:19.43
each disciple
asked Him, "Is it I?"
00:30:19.46\00:30:21.65
Notice what Judas said.
00:30:21.68\00:30:23.18
Matthew 26:25, "Then
Judas, who was betraying Him,
00:30:23.60\00:30:28.78
answered and
said, 'Rabbi, is it I?'"
00:30:28.81\00:30:32.77
The disciples did not
have the foggiest idea that
00:30:33.94\00:30:36.54
this was the antichrist.
00:30:36.57\00:30:38.03
He had them
deceived to the very end.
00:30:38.47\00:30:40.80
In fact, notice John
13 verses 26 through 29.
00:30:41.12\00:30:44.18
This is an interesting passage.
00:30:44.21\00:30:45.65
It shows that the
very followers of Jesus
00:30:45.68\00:30:47.76
themselves were oblivious as
to the identity of antichrist.
00:30:47.79\00:30:51.44
Is that true of the
religious world today?
00:30:51.86\00:30:54.27
Absolutely.
00:30:54.82\00:30:56.12
Notice what we
find in John 13:26.
00:30:56.15\00:30:58.72
So it's so obvious, isn't it?
00:31:09.30\00:31:11.40
He says, "To whoever I give the
bread, that's the antichrist."
00:31:11.50\00:31:14.46
But now notice...
00:31:14.49\00:31:15.57
How did the
disciples understand that?
00:31:23.30\00:31:24.85
Listen...
00:31:24.88\00:31:25.91
Were the very followers of Jesus
oblivious to what was going on
00:31:44.19\00:31:47.54
in terms of the
fulfillment of prophecy?
00:31:47.57\00:31:49.45
Till the very end.
00:31:49.48\00:31:50.51
Fortunately, they
woke up at the end.
00:31:50.54\00:31:52.51
Now how did Judas
betray Jesus Christ?
00:31:53.03\00:31:55.72
Notice Luke 22 and
verses 47 through 48
00:31:56.36\00:31:59.30
when the mob comes
to arrest Jesus Christ
00:31:59.50\00:32:02.83
in the garden of Gethsemane.
00:32:02.86\00:32:04.08
Notice how
Judas betrayed Christ.
00:32:04.11\00:32:06.51
Luke 22 verses 47 and 48.
00:32:06.54\00:32:09.19
It says there...
00:32:09.22\00:32:10.25
How did Judas betray Christ?
00:32:31.17\00:32:33.31
With a what?
00:32:33.34\00:32:34.45
With a kiss.
00:32:34.93\00:32:36.16
The epidomy of being a
traitor, according to Scripture.
00:32:36.19\00:32:39.94
Now the antichrist is
called, the son of perdition.
00:32:40.57\00:32:44.05
Why is he called,
the son of perdition?
00:32:44.08\00:32:45.73
The word,
"perdition," in Greek mean,
00:32:45.76\00:32:48.23
destruction or annihilation.
00:32:48.26\00:32:51.06
He is the son of annihilation,
he is the son of destruction.
00:32:51.54\00:32:55.09
Have you ever read in the
Bible about the end of Judas
00:32:55.97\00:32:58.69
as a result of
betraying Jesus Christ?
00:32:58.72\00:33:00.97
Matthew 27 and
verses 3 through 5
00:33:01.69\00:33:04.15
speak about the perdition
of Judas, or his destruction
00:33:04.26\00:33:07.48
or annihilation, which
is what perdition means.
00:33:07.51\00:33:10.59
Notice, "Then Judas, His
betrayer, seeing that he had
00:33:10.69\00:33:14.47
been condemned,
was remorseful..."
00:33:14.50\00:33:17.04
This was crocodile tears.
00:33:17.82\00:33:19.70
It was not
repentance, it was an admission.
00:33:19.73\00:33:22.23
"...and brought back
the thirty pieces of silver
00:33:22.47\00:33:25.85
to the chief priests and
elders, saying, 'I have sinned
00:33:25.88\00:33:28.53
by betraying innocent blood...'"
00:33:28.56\00:33:30.16
Do you know what the
real intention of Judas was?
00:33:40.29\00:33:42.63
It was not the intention of
Judas to deliver Jesus to death.
00:33:42.66\00:33:45.75
It was the intention of
Judas to force the hand of Jesus
00:33:46.71\00:33:51.15
so that Jesus would
escape, once they arrested Him,
00:33:51.18\00:33:54.51
to proclaim Himself king.
00:33:54.54\00:33:56.22
In other words, if it had been
Judas' purpose to betray Jesus
00:33:56.60\00:34:01.08
to death, why
would he commit suicide?
00:34:01.11\00:34:03.63
Why would he throw
the money there in the
00:34:04.05\00:34:06.26
presence of the priests?
00:34:06.29\00:34:07.82
The fact is, that it was
his purpose that when Jesus
00:34:07.92\00:34:10.91
would find Himself
between a rock and a hard place,
00:34:10.94\00:34:13.26
when He was arrested
and perhaps mistreated,
00:34:13.29\00:34:15.75
that Jesus would arise
and He would take care of them
00:34:15.95\00:34:19.83
and He would
establish His kingdom.
00:34:19.93\00:34:21.69
But his plan backfired.
00:34:21.72\00:34:24.27
And when he saw that Jesus
allowed Himself to be arrested
00:34:24.72\00:34:27.47
and beaten, and as he saw
Him going to Pilates court
00:34:27.67\00:34:32.26
and suffering,
there is when he says,
00:34:32.29\00:34:35.80
"I betrayed innocent blood.
00:34:35.83\00:34:37.40
This Guy is not
going to be the king."
00:34:37.43\00:34:39.08
And the Bible says that
he went and hung himself.
00:34:39.11\00:34:42.66
So are you catching
the picture of what kind of
00:34:43.45\00:34:45.02
antichrist we're talking here?
00:34:45.05\00:34:46.52
It is an antichrist, an insider,
not a blasphemous outsider
00:34:47.27\00:34:52.53
who is an
atheist and curses God.
00:34:52.56\00:34:54.83
Now let's go to 2 Thessalonians
chapter 2 and verse 4.
00:34:55.13\00:34:59.23
There's an
interesting expression here.
00:34:59.26\00:35:00.93
We're going to study
now expression by expression
00:35:00.96\00:35:03.08
in verse 4.
00:35:03.11\00:35:04.14
Speaking about this
antichrist, it says...
00:35:04.27\00:35:06.31
So it says that he opposes God.
00:35:14.56\00:35:16.42
You say, "But you just
said that Judas, you know,
00:35:16.45\00:35:19.60
is an insider."
00:35:19.63\00:35:20.66
Did Judas really oppose God?
00:35:20.69\00:35:22.36
Did he oppose Jesus Christ?
00:35:22.47\00:35:24.07
Of course he did.
00:35:24.51\00:35:25.54
But he didn't do it openly.
00:35:25.72\00:35:27.21
He did it how?
00:35:27.41\00:35:28.52
Underhandedly.
00:35:28.84\00:35:30.00
In fact, this is a
fundamental misunderstanding
00:35:30.62\00:35:33.30
of the Christian world.
00:35:33.33\00:35:34.36
They say, "See, the antichrist
is going to oppose Christ."
00:35:34.39\00:35:36.79
And so they say he's
going to openly oppose Christ
00:35:36.82\00:35:39.00
and he's going to
curse Him to His face.
00:35:39.03\00:35:40.51
No, that's not
what Scripture says.
00:35:40.54\00:35:42.41
What does it mean to oppose God?
00:35:42.82\00:35:44.57
Notice John
chapter 16 and verse 2.
00:35:44.90\00:35:47.41
John chapter 16 and verse 2.
00:35:47.44\00:35:50.15
Here, Jesus is speaking to
His disciples, and He says...
00:35:50.76\00:35:53.37
Are you catching the picture?
00:36:04.24\00:36:05.52
Those who were going to
kill the disciples, they were
00:36:06.49\00:36:08.58
thinking that they
were going to do God, what?
00:36:08.61\00:36:10.76
A favor.
00:36:10.80\00:36:11.83
Were they really opposing God
while they claimed to serve God?
00:36:11.86\00:36:14.99
Absolutely,
according to Scripture.
00:36:15.20\00:36:17.36
Incidentally, did the enemies
of Jesus who led Him to His
00:36:17.76\00:36:21.36
crucifixion claim to serve God?
00:36:21.39\00:36:23.24
Yes, but by crucifying Jesus
Christ they were really what?
00:36:24.03\00:36:27.86
They were really opposing God.
00:36:28.07\00:36:29.59
How about Saul of Tarsus?
00:36:30.20\00:36:31.76
Did he claim to be serving God?
00:36:31.96\00:36:33.69
Of course he
claimed to be serving God.
00:36:34.13\00:36:36.05
But was he really opposing God?
00:36:36.41\00:36:38.23
Most certainly so.
00:36:38.48\00:36:39.79
Now notice Acts
chapter 5 verses 38 and 39.
00:36:40.27\00:36:43.61
Acts chapter 5 verses 38 and 39.
00:36:43.92\00:36:46.63
Here, it's speaking about
what it means to oppose God
00:36:46.90\00:36:50.01
even when you say
that you're serving God
00:36:50.04\00:36:52.57
and that you're following God.
00:36:52.60\00:36:53.97
It says there, "And
now I say to you..."
00:36:54.35\00:36:57.85
This is Gamaliel speaking.
00:36:57.88\00:36:59.25
He's recommending
something to the Sanhedrin,
00:36:59.28\00:37:02.66
to the Hebrew
Sanhedrin, telling them,
00:37:02.69\00:37:04.33
"Don't deliver
Peter and John to death.
00:37:04.36\00:37:07.65
Don't make any
drastic decisions."
00:37:07.85\00:37:10.04
"And now I say to you,
keep away from these men
00:37:10.50\00:37:13.67
and let them alone; for if this
plan or this work is of men,
00:37:13.70\00:37:18.00
it will come to nothing.
00:37:18.03\00:37:19.48
But if it is of God,
you cannot overthrow it;
00:37:19.81\00:37:23.78
lest you even be
found to fight against God."
00:37:24.10\00:37:28.29
Is it possible for
people who claim to serve God
00:37:28.89\00:37:31.63
to be fighting or opposing
God, according to Scripture?
00:37:31.66\00:37:34.69
Absolutely so.
00:37:34.72\00:37:35.96
And so the
antichrist will be opposing God
00:37:36.18\00:37:38.99
at the same time
that he claims to be what?
00:37:39.02\00:37:41.62
That he claims to be
supporting the cause of God.
00:37:41.65\00:37:44.33
In the book, Education,
page 92, Ellen White said this,
00:37:44.57\00:37:48.69
that, "Judas manifested a
continuous secret and subtle
00:37:49.86\00:37:56.73
antagonism against Christ."
00:37:56.76\00:37:59.82
Notice the word she
uses, "continuous secret
00:38:00.49\00:38:03.54
and subtle
antagonism to Christ."
00:38:03.74\00:38:07.14
Now let's notice
another expression.
00:38:07.68\00:38:09.54
So it says, "The antichrist
opposes and exalts himself
00:38:09.57\00:38:12.24
above all that is called
God or that is worshiped,
00:38:12.27\00:38:14.81
so that he sits as God
in the temple of God..."
00:38:14.84\00:38:18.53
Now what does that
mean, "he sits in the temple?"
00:38:18.83\00:38:21.40
That word, "sits," is
the Greek word, "kathizo."
00:38:21.91\00:38:26.09
It's a very important word.
00:38:26.87\00:38:28.13
He sits, he kathizos, if you
please, in the temple of God.
00:38:28.49\00:38:32.80
Now that is the verb.
00:38:33.27\00:38:34.87
The noun that is equivalent to
that verb is the word, kathedra.
00:38:35.50\00:38:41.68
So kathizo means,
to sit. It's the verb.
00:38:42.35\00:38:45.08
Kathedra means the seat itself.
00:38:45.30\00:38:48.01
It's the noun.
00:38:48.04\00:38:49.13
Now I want you to notice
that there's a very interesting
00:38:49.71\00:38:52.13
nuance here when it
says that "he sits as God
00:38:52.16\00:38:55.40
in the temple of God."
00:38:55.43\00:38:56.78
What did Jesus do
when He sat in the temple?
00:38:56.81\00:38:59.96
He what?
00:38:59.99\00:39:01.02
You can read it in the
gospels, He taught God's Word
00:39:02.11\00:39:05.65
when He sat in the temple.
00:39:06.39\00:39:07.86
Now go with me to
Matthew chapter 23 and verse 2.
00:39:08.57\00:39:13.48
And this is a
very interesting verse.
00:39:13.72\00:39:15.72
Matthew chapter 23 and verse 2.
00:39:16.01\00:39:18.70
It says, "Then Jesus
spoke to the multitudes
00:39:19.55\00:39:21.87
and to His disciples saying,
'The scribes and the Pharisees
00:39:21.90\00:39:26.74
sit in
Moses'..." What? "...seat."
00:39:26.77\00:39:29.78
Now the word,
"sit," there is, kathizo.
00:39:29.81\00:39:32.02
That's the verb.
00:39:32.43\00:39:33.50
They sit in the what?
00:39:33.83\00:39:35.34
In the kathedra.
00:39:35.81\00:39:37.41
That's the
seat. That's the noun.
00:39:37.44\00:39:39.38
So in this verse you have
the verb and you have the noun.
00:39:39.48\00:39:43.49
So what does this mean
that the religious leaders,
00:39:44.09\00:39:47.15
the scribes and the
Pharisees, sat in Moses' seat?
00:39:47.18\00:39:50.64
Let me read you a
couple of statements
00:39:51.54\00:39:53.47
from Bible commentators.
00:39:53.50\00:39:54.76
One is Adam Clark and the other
is the Gerome Bible Commentary,
00:39:54.79\00:39:59.52
a Roman Catholic
Bible commentary.
00:39:59.55\00:40:01.67
So I'm reading from a Protestant
and from a Roman Catholic.
00:40:01.70\00:40:04.53
Notice what Adam
Clark had to say.
00:40:04.56\00:40:06.23
"By, 'the seat of
Moses,' we are to understand
00:40:06.71\00:40:10.43
authority to..." What?
00:40:10.46\00:40:12.36
"...to teach the law.
00:40:12.56\00:40:14.14
Moses was the great
teacher of the Jewish people.
00:40:14.70\00:40:18.59
And the scribes, etc, are here
represented as his..." What?
00:40:19.19\00:40:24.48
Interesting word,
"...as his successors."
00:40:25.09\00:40:28.51
So what gave the
scribes and the Pharisees
00:40:28.82\00:40:30.72
the authority to teach?
00:40:30.75\00:40:32.25
They claim to be
the successors of whom?
00:40:32.65\00:40:35.09
Of Moses.
00:40:35.36\00:40:36.39
In fact, the Jews believed
in an unbroken succession
00:40:36.42\00:40:39.56
of religious leaders from
Moses to the days of Christ.
00:40:39.59\00:40:42.88
And they said that
Moses spoke many things
00:40:43.37\00:40:45.98
that were not written.
00:40:46.01\00:40:47.18
And they said that they
were authorized to bring these
00:40:47.21\00:40:49.68
oral traditions to
light that were never written.
00:40:49.71\00:40:52.63
But they said, "We
have preserved the deposit
00:40:52.66\00:40:55.16
of truth that has been handed
down or has been passed on."
00:40:55.19\00:40:58.50
And so they claimed to have
the authority of Moses to teach.
00:40:58.93\00:41:02.35
And they actually believed that
their teachings were infallible.
00:41:02.38\00:41:05.27
Now what does this have
to do with the antichrist?
00:41:07.10\00:41:09.38
The antichrist sits
in the temple of God
00:41:09.41\00:41:12.37
to teach just like Jesus
sat in the temple to teach.
00:41:12.40\00:41:17.11
What does that mean?
00:41:17.74\00:41:18.86
If you look at Roman Catholic
theology, you're going to find
00:41:19.40\00:41:23.20
that they
substitute Peter for Moses.
00:41:23.58\00:41:26.06
And they say that Peter and
the apostles, not only wrote
00:41:27.68\00:41:32.01
what we have in the New
Testament, but they spoke
00:41:32.04\00:41:34.96
many oral things that were
never committed to writing.
00:41:34.99\00:41:38.70
And they say that through
an unbroken line of successors,
00:41:39.34\00:41:42.61
bishop laying hands upon
bishop, from generation to
00:41:42.64\00:41:45.58
generation, these oral
traditions were preserved
00:41:45.61\00:41:48.91
till this day.
00:41:49.31\00:41:50.58
And when the church teaches
things that are not in the
00:41:50.68\00:41:53.26
Bible, like the assumption
of Mary, or the immaculate
00:41:53.29\00:41:55.86
conception, or the baptism
of infants, or things like that,
00:41:55.89\00:41:58.98
they say, "The Bible doesn't say
that we're suppose to do this,
00:41:59.18\00:42:01.98
but the apostles did say it.
00:42:02.01\00:42:04.27
They passed it on
by oral tradition,
00:42:04.30\00:42:06.26
and that has been
preserved through a succession
00:42:06.29\00:42:09.06
of leaders in the church.
00:42:09.09\00:42:10.59
And we're just
bringing that to light now."
00:42:10.62\00:42:12.94
Are you
understanding what I'm saying?
00:42:14.57\00:42:15.89
Now the word that is
used here for, "Moses' seat,"
00:42:17.00\00:42:19.31
is, kathedra.
00:42:19.34\00:42:21.43
Interesting.
00:42:22.04\00:42:23.19
So they sit on Moses'
kathedra, and they speak in the
00:42:23.39\00:42:26.99
name of whom?
00:42:27.02\00:42:28.50
Of Moses.
00:42:29.18\00:42:30.28
Have you ever heard
that the Pope, when he speaks
00:42:30.96\00:42:35.64
from his throne, which is
when he speaks ex cathedra,
00:42:36.19\00:42:43.53
what he says is infallible?
00:42:44.51\00:42:46.90
Because it's part of the
deposit of tradition that
00:42:48.08\00:42:50.76
has been passed on from
the apostles till his day.
00:42:50.79\00:42:53.78
Interesting that you
would have the word, "kathedra,"
00:42:54.43\00:42:57.03
as applied to the religious
leaders of Christ's day
00:42:57.23\00:43:00.03
who claimed to be
successors of Moses
00:43:00.06\00:43:02.25
and claimed to teach infallibly,
and in the Roman Catholic Church
00:43:02.28\00:43:06.34
you have one who sits in the
church and he claims to speak
00:43:06.37\00:43:12.02
ex cathedra what was given
supposedly to the disciples.
00:43:12.27\00:43:18.13
Now notice the second statement.
00:43:19.12\00:43:20.48
This is from the Roman Catholic
Gerome Bible Commentary.
00:43:20.51\00:43:23.47
"The phrase, 'sit in
Moses seat,' is most probably
00:43:24.36\00:43:29.53
a metaphor for the authority
of the scribes to teach.
00:43:29.56\00:43:33.57
In rabbinical tradition,
the interpretation of the law
00:43:34.29\00:43:38.08
was carried on," listen
carefully, "in a scribal
00:43:38.11\00:43:41.66
tradition that theoretically
went back through an unbroken
00:43:41.69\00:43:46.58
chain of scribes to Moses."
00:43:46.61\00:43:49.24
And then this Roman
Catholic commentary says,
00:43:50.71\00:43:53.12
"This view is, of
course, entirely unhistorical."
00:43:53.15\00:43:57.59
But it's also unhistorical
as it applies to Peter,
00:43:58.41\00:44:01.97
and apostolic succession,
as it's called in the
00:44:03.02\00:44:06.14
Roman Catholic Church.
00:44:06.17\00:44:07.58
Are you
understanding this picture?
00:44:07.61\00:44:09.08
Now, where does
the antichrist sit?
00:44:09.63\00:44:13.00
Well, let's go back to verse 4.
00:44:13.10\00:44:15.00
Where does this antichrist sit?
00:44:30.19\00:44:32.13
In the temple.
00:44:32.20\00:44:33.23
Do you know what
most Christians say?
00:44:33.26\00:44:34.63
That's got to be the
rebuilt Jerusalem temple
00:44:34.74\00:44:37.53
after the rapture of the church.
00:44:37.56\00:44:39.24
It can't be.
00:44:39.77\00:44:40.92
Let me explain why.
00:44:40.95\00:44:42.17
Matthew chapter
21 verses 12 and 13
00:44:43.28\00:44:46.30
speaks about the triumphal
entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.
00:44:46.33\00:44:49.21
After the triumphal entry,
He entered into the temple.
00:44:49.44\00:44:52.34
And I want you to
notice how the temple is called
00:44:52.37\00:44:55.76
when Jesus went into it.
00:44:55.79\00:44:57.04
Verses 12 and 13.
00:44:57.07\00:44:58.63
Is this still the
temple of God at this point?
00:45:04.78\00:45:06.61
Absolutely.
00:45:06.64\00:45:07.72
And how does He
refer to this temple?
00:45:17.48\00:45:19.07
"My house..."
00:45:20.02\00:45:21.58
Is this still His
house? Absolutely.
00:45:21.88\00:45:24.43
And then you know
what's interesting?
00:45:28.81\00:45:30.08
In the rest of chapter 21
and chapter 22 and chapter 23,
00:45:30.66\00:45:34.81
Jesus gives all sorts
of teachings and parables
00:45:34.84\00:45:37.47
about the rejection of the
Messiah by the Jewish nation.
00:45:37.50\00:45:40.85
You have the fig tree,
you have vineyard workers,
00:45:41.41\00:45:43.80
you have the son who
said that he was going to go
00:45:44.00\00:45:46.22
and then he didn't go.
00:45:46.25\00:45:47.32
All parables that have
to do with the apostasy
00:45:47.35\00:45:50.92
of the Jewish nation.
00:45:50.95\00:45:52.12
And while He's teaching in
the temple, His words go over
00:45:53.15\00:45:57.06
like a lead balloon.
00:45:57.09\00:45:58.23
People don't, they
don't want to listen.
00:45:58.72\00:46:00.37
The religious
leaders reject Him.
00:46:00.40\00:46:02.06
So He pronounces His woes
upon the scribes and Pharisees,
00:46:02.09\00:46:05.33
and He ends, in
Matthew 23 and verse 38,
00:46:05.93\00:46:09.98
with some very
significant words.
00:46:10.01\00:46:11.84
When He entered the temple
it's called the temple of God,
00:46:11.87\00:46:14.51
and He says, "This is My house."
00:46:14.54\00:46:16.26
But at the end, after
His teaching in the temple
00:46:16.72\00:46:19.34
concerning the
apostasy of the Jewish nation,
00:46:19.37\00:46:22.14
He says in verse 38...
00:46:22.17\00:46:23.92
And then He walks
out of the temple.
00:46:30.40\00:46:32.91
The Shekinah has
forsaken the temple.
00:46:32.94\00:46:35.49
Are you with me or not?
00:46:35.52\00:46:36.63
Was the temple God's
temple at that point anymore?
00:46:37.07\00:46:40.59
It wasn't God's temple anymore.
00:46:40.62\00:46:42.79
So the question
is, what is the temple
00:46:44.55\00:46:46.88
where the antichrist sits?
00:46:46.91\00:46:48.67
Well, do you think it
might be a good idea to let
00:46:49.18\00:46:51.60
Paul explain Paul?
00:46:51.63\00:46:53.75
I think it would be a good idea.
00:46:54.52\00:46:56.25
Paul must know
what he's talking about,
00:46:56.28\00:46:58.20
by comparing another verse.
00:46:58.23\00:46:59.81
Go with me to
Ephesians chapter 2
00:47:00.12\00:47:02.10
and verses 19 through 22.
00:47:02.13\00:47:03.73
You see, the temple that the
apostle Paul is talking about
00:47:03.76\00:47:06.15
is not a literal
temple of stones.
00:47:06.18\00:47:08.68
It is a spiritual
temple which takes the place
00:47:08.88\00:47:11.81
of the literal temple.
00:47:11.84\00:47:13.06
Notice Ephesians chapter
2 and verses 19 through 22.
00:47:13.09\00:47:16.85
Here the apostle
Paul, the same one who wrote
00:47:17.29\00:47:20.24
2 Thessalonians 2, says
this, "Now, therefore, you are
00:47:20.27\00:47:23.99
no longer strangers and
foreigners, but fellow citizens
00:47:24.02\00:47:27.86
with the saints and members
of the household of God..."
00:47:27.89\00:47:31.36
Now notice, he's
talking to the church.
00:47:31.95\00:47:33.87
"...having been
built on the..." What?
00:47:34.08\00:47:36.41
Are these stone foundations
or are these foundations people?
00:47:39.76\00:47:42.54
It's a spiritual temple.
00:47:43.28\00:47:44.66
So the cornerstone is a Person.
00:47:49.49\00:47:51.31
The foundations are persons.
00:47:51.34\00:47:53.42
They're the founders
of the Christian church.
00:47:53.80\00:47:55.90
And then what are the
blocks that are being built
00:47:56.23\00:47:58.34
as the wall of the temple?
00:47:58.65\00:48:00.11
Notice verse 21.
00:48:00.14\00:48:01.31
So what is the temple of God,
according to the apostle Paul?
00:48:17.96\00:48:20.61
The temple of God is what?
00:48:21.44\00:48:23.24
Is the Christian church.
00:48:23.71\00:48:25.14
Built upon the writings
of the apostles and prophets,
00:48:25.63\00:48:28.31
Jesus Christ the
chief cornerstone,
00:48:28.34\00:48:30.52
each member is a
stone that is built up.
00:48:30.55\00:48:33.21
And the One who
dwells, the Shekinah who dwells
00:48:33.24\00:48:36.16
in the temple is whom?
00:48:36.19\00:48:37.90
Is Jesus Christ
through His Holy Spirit.
00:48:38.67\00:48:41.27
So when it says that the
antichrist is going to sit
00:48:41.30\00:48:43.21
in the temple of God,
where is he going to sit?
00:48:43.24\00:48:45.52
In a rebuilt Jewish
temple in the Middle East?
00:48:45.55\00:48:47.92
No, he's going to sit where?
00:48:48.13\00:48:49.68
He's going to place his
throne in the very church.
00:48:50.00\00:48:53.21
I'm going to say
something very reverently,
00:48:54.12\00:48:56.16
but it's the truth.
00:48:56.83\00:48:57.96
Benedict XVI, when he celebrated
the week of Christian unity,
00:48:58.94\00:49:08.33
he had a special service in
Saint Paul Outside The Walls
00:49:08.99\00:49:13.26
of Vatican City.
00:49:13.29\00:49:14.41
It's a large cathedral.
00:49:14.44\00:49:15.90
And there's this
picture that shows him sitting
00:49:16.78\00:49:22.32
on a giant white throne.
00:49:22.35\00:49:24.41
And on each side of
the throne is a cherubim.
00:49:25.62\00:49:28.99
Now is that pretty telling?
00:49:30.69\00:49:32.21
It's amazing. It's blasphemous.
00:49:33.25\00:49:35.73
If I must say so myself.
00:49:36.23\00:49:37.87
Because the Bible says that
God sits between the cherubim.
00:49:38.81\00:49:42.47
And it's God who
sits on a white throne.
00:49:43.32\00:49:45.55
But most people are oblivious
to what the Bible teaches,
00:49:46.84\00:49:49.66
and it just goes
over their heads.
00:49:49.69\00:49:51.40
They don't understand
the symbolism behind this.
00:49:51.43\00:49:54.47
Do you remember when we
studied about the little horn,
00:49:54.91\00:49:57.21
how the little horn
was going to meddle with
00:49:57.24\00:49:58.85
the Sanctuary of God?
00:49:58.88\00:50:00.45
You see, in Daniel
chapter 8 verses 11 and 12,
00:50:01.47\00:50:04.63
and we'll read this
quickly, speaking about the
00:50:04.66\00:50:07.40
little horn it says,
"He even exalted himself
00:50:07.43\00:50:09.29
as high as the Prince
of the host; and by him..."
00:50:09.32\00:50:12.67
That is, by the little horn.
00:50:12.70\00:50:13.73
"...the daily was taken away..."
00:50:13.76\00:50:15.07
That has to do with the
functions of Jesus in the
00:50:15.10\00:50:17.09
court and in the Holy Place.
00:50:17.12\00:50:18.58
"Because of transgression, an
army was given over to the horn
00:50:19.02\00:50:22.29
to oppose the daily..."
00:50:22.32\00:50:23.52
The army is the state, the
power of the political state.
00:50:23.55\00:50:27.02
"...and he cast
truth down to the ground.
00:50:27.35\00:50:29.58
And he did this and prospered."
00:50:29.61\00:50:32.29
Revelation 13:5-6
describes the same thing;
00:50:32.79\00:50:35.43
how he meddled with the
Sanctuary because he sits
00:50:35.46\00:50:37.73
in the temple of God.
00:50:37.76\00:50:38.79
He can't take Christ's
place in the heavenly Sanctuary.
00:50:38.82\00:50:41.44
So he sets up his headquarters
in the shadow on earth.
00:50:41.73\00:50:45.14
He sets up his headquarters
in the church on earth.
00:50:45.17\00:50:47.92
Notice Revelation 13:5-6.
00:50:47.95\00:50:49.87
"And he was given a
mouth speaking great things
00:50:49.90\00:50:52.90
and blasphemies, and he
was given authority to continue
00:50:52.93\00:50:56.34
for forty-two months.
00:50:56.37\00:50:57.53
Then he opened his mouth
in blasphemy against God,"
00:50:57.63\00:51:00.40
now notice this, "to blaspheme
His name, His..." What?
00:51:00.43\00:51:03.71
"...His tabernacle, and
those who dwell..." Where?
00:51:04.02\00:51:07.82
"...in heaven."
00:51:08.11\00:51:09.14
Do you remember that
we defined blasphemy?
00:51:09.17\00:51:11.19
What is blasphemy,
according to Scripture?
00:51:11.74\00:51:13.84
It's when a mere
man claims to be whom?
00:51:14.19\00:51:16.84
Claims to be God and claims to
have the power to forgive sins.
00:51:17.24\00:51:21.71
Allow me to read you some
statements by popes of Rome.
00:51:21.98\00:51:25.30
And this is only
a little sampling of
00:51:25.33\00:51:27.90
many that I could read.
00:51:27.93\00:51:29.41
This is from a
famous Bible encyclopedia,
00:51:30.56\00:51:33.67
Prompta Bibliotheca.
00:51:33.70\00:51:35.42
Notice what the
definition is of the pope.
00:51:35.45\00:51:39.23
"The pope can modify divine law
since his power is not of man
00:51:39.26\00:51:44.09
but of God, and he acts in
the place of God upon earth
00:51:44.12\00:51:49.18
with the fullest power of
binding and loosing his sheep."
00:51:49.47\00:51:53.16
Notice what
Pope Nicholas I said.
00:51:53.49\00:51:56.18
By the way, he
ruled from 858 to 867 AD.
00:51:56.21\00:51:59.39
Notice what he had to say.
00:51:59.42\00:52:00.45
And you have the
references, the books, where I
00:52:00.48\00:52:02.77
found these quotations.
00:52:02.80\00:52:04.15
He said this, "It is evident
that the popes can neither be
00:52:04.46\00:52:07.63
bound nor unbound
by any earthly power.
00:52:07.66\00:52:10.80
Nor even by that
of the apostle Peter
00:52:11.16\00:52:13.71
if he should
return upon the earth,
00:52:14.45\00:52:16.57
since Constantine the
Great has recognized that the
00:52:16.60\00:52:19.22
pontiffs held the
place of God upon earth.
00:52:19.25\00:52:23.39
Divinity," listen,
"divinity not being able to be
00:52:23.60\00:52:27.82
judged by any living man."
00:52:27.85\00:52:29.53
He's claiming to be divine.
00:52:30.16\00:52:31.55
"We are then infallible.
00:52:32.20\00:52:34.30
And whatever may be our acts,
we are accountable for them
00:52:34.72\00:52:38.53
but to ourselves."
00:52:39.29\00:52:41.12
Wow.
00:52:41.37\00:52:42.40
More recently, Pope Leo
XIII, in an encyclical letter
00:52:43.03\00:52:46.54
which was written
January 10, 1890, said this,
00:52:46.57\00:52:50.00
"But the supreme teacher in the
church is the Roman Pontiff."
00:52:50.03\00:52:53.45
That means the pope, by the way.
00:52:54.03\00:52:56.25
"Union of minds
therefore requires, together
00:52:56.28\00:52:59.46
with a perfect
accord in the one faith,
00:52:59.49\00:53:01.77
complete submission
and obedience of the will
00:53:02.05\00:53:06.06
to the church and to the Roman
Pontiff as to God Himself."
00:53:06.09\00:53:11.73
And Leo XIII also
said on June 20, 1894,
00:53:12.47\00:53:15.89
and you have the source
there, "We hold upon this earth
00:53:15.92\00:53:20.86
the place of God Almighty."
00:53:20.89\00:53:23.71
And this is only a
sampling of statements.
00:53:25.68\00:53:28.27
Now there are those who
are going to be watching this
00:53:29.40\00:53:31.79
that are going to
say, "Wow, you know, you're
00:53:31.82\00:53:33.37
attacking Roman Catholics."
00:53:33.40\00:53:34.59
No, I'm not
attacking Roman Catholics.
00:53:34.62\00:53:36.75
When we speak about this,
we're talking about the system.
00:53:36.78\00:53:39.91
There are many sincere
loving Christians in the system.
00:53:40.89\00:53:43.10
They don't know these things.
00:53:43.13\00:53:44.57
They just basically do what
their priest tells them to do.
00:53:45.31\00:53:48.01
They don't know.
00:53:48.88\00:53:49.91
But when they hear these things,
they start asking questions
00:53:50.53\00:53:53.39
and they start
searching for answers.
00:53:53.42\00:53:55.64
And many of them are willing to
step out and embrace the truth
00:53:56.00\00:53:59.09
as it is in Jesus.
00:53:59.12\00:54:00.34
This is no
reflection on individuals within
00:54:00.59\00:54:03.10
the Roman Catholic Church.
00:54:03.13\00:54:04.55
We're speaking about
the system, the hierarchy.
00:54:04.65\00:54:06.81
You say, "How can you
separate the system from the
00:54:06.84\00:54:08.73
people in the system?"
00:54:08.76\00:54:09.79
Well let me ask you, did
Jesus rebuke the scribes and the
00:54:10.42\00:54:13.35
Pharisees and the Sanhedrin?
00:54:13.38\00:54:15.04
Most certainly.
00:54:15.37\00:54:16.40
Was he rebuking all of
the sincere people in Judaism?
00:54:16.64\00:54:19.58
Absolutely not.
00:54:19.61\00:54:20.78
In fact, if you read in
Acts chapter 6 and verse 7,
00:54:20.81\00:54:23.28
it says that multitudes
embraced the Christian faith.
00:54:23.31\00:54:26.64
And even a multitude of
priests accepted Christianity.
00:54:26.67\00:54:30.14
In other words, they
forsook the apostate system
00:54:30.17\00:54:33.12
and they joined
God's true system.
00:54:33.15\00:54:36.21
Now repeatedly,
Roman Catholic sources
00:54:37.27\00:54:39.27
refer to the popes
as vicars of Christ.
00:54:39.30\00:54:41.34
That means
representatives of Christ.
00:54:41.96\00:54:43.54
Vice regents of Christ;
representatives of Christ.
00:54:43.57\00:54:46.12
And also they called themselves,
vicar of the Son of God;
00:54:46.15\00:54:49.09
Vicarius Filii Dei.
00:54:49.12\00:54:50.64
The Roman Catholic Church
claims that not only the pope
00:54:51.99\00:54:55.96
but also the priests have
the power to forgive sins.
00:54:55.99\00:54:58.95
Is that true?
00:54:59.64\00:55:00.76
It most certainly is true.
00:55:00.79\00:55:02.29
The Roman Catholic Church
has claimed that they have a
00:55:02.68\00:55:04.72
right to set up
kings and to remove kings.
00:55:04.75\00:55:08.12
Who is the one in the
Bible who has the right to
00:55:08.15\00:55:10.39
set up kings and remove kings?
00:55:10.42\00:55:12.51
Just read the
references here in the material.
00:55:13.08\00:55:15.12
Daniel 2:21 says that God
sets up kings and removes kings.
00:55:15.15\00:55:20.26
Does the pope accept
people bowing down to him?
00:55:20.74\00:55:23.26
Absolutely.
00:55:23.52\00:55:24.55
Even in
Revelation chapter 19 and 20,
00:55:24.58\00:55:27.03
the angel did not
allow John to bow before him.
00:55:27.06\00:55:31.20
And yet this man insists
that people bow down before him.
00:55:31.23\00:55:34.43
And in certain stages in
the history of the church,
00:55:34.74\00:55:36.77
he even demanded
that they kiss his feet.
00:55:37.08\00:55:39.45
He allows himself to
be called, Holy Father.
00:55:40.37\00:55:42.95
Even though Jesus explicitly
said in Matthew 23 verse 9
00:55:43.57\00:55:47.29
that should call no
one on earth our father.
00:55:47.32\00:55:49.39
And He's not talking
about our physical father.
00:55:49.42\00:55:51.09
He's talking about
calling someone our father
00:55:51.12\00:55:54.30
spiritually speaking.
00:55:54.33\00:55:55.90
During the Middle Ages, the
pope claimed to have the right
00:55:56.29\00:55:58.51
to execute the death
penalty against dissenters.
00:55:58.54\00:56:02.93
The papacy claims to have had
the right to change God's law,
00:56:03.85\00:56:06.97
to change the Sabbath to Sunday.
00:56:07.00\00:56:08.76
The Roman Catholic
Church claims that the pope
00:56:09.56\00:56:12.37
is the supreme judge in
earth, heaven, and even hell.
00:56:12.40\00:56:18.94
And furthermore, the
Roman Catholic Church
00:56:20.22\00:56:22.09
claims, since the dogma of
infallibility was proclaimed,
00:56:22.12\00:56:26.47
that when the
pope speaks ex cathedra
00:56:26.75\00:56:29.58
his declarations cannot
be questioned or reformed
00:56:30.31\00:56:34.63
because he has
spoken infallibly.
00:56:34.66\00:56:38.28
Scripture tells us there
is only One who is infallible.
00:56:38.70\00:56:42.22
And that One who
is infallible is God.
00:56:42.65\00:56:44.87
So what the pope is claiming
is to exercise all of the
00:56:44.98\00:56:49.45
prerogatives
that belong to whom?
00:56:49.48\00:56:51.63
That belong to God.
00:56:51.66\00:56:52.83
Where are we to look
for the antichrist then?
00:56:52.86\00:56:55.50
Has the
antichrist already appeared.
00:56:55.97\00:56:58.60
Oh yes.
00:56:59.05\00:57:00.10
He ruled 1260 years in the past.
00:57:00.13\00:57:03.78
And the Bible says that
his deadly wound, which he
00:57:03.88\00:57:06.90
received in
1798, will be healed.
00:57:06.93\00:57:10.28
And once again he
will wield world power.
00:57:10.46\00:57:14.03
And the Bible says
that the whole world
00:57:15.13\00:57:17.20
will marvel and
wonder after the beast.
00:57:17.56\00:57:20.72
So don't miss part two,
the next exciting episode.
00:57:21.31\00:57:26.07