Participants: Stephen Bohr
Series Code: HWIS
Program Code: HWIS000026
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00:31 Let's pray.
00:33 Our Father and our God, once again we approach Your throne 00:37 because we need Your help. 00:39 This is a very, very important subject on the antichrist 00:42 sitting in the temple of God. 00:45 And we need divine wisdom. 00:46 We need understanding from on high. 00:50 So we ask for Your presence through the ministration 00:52 of the Holy Spirit. 00:54 I ask, Lord, that You'll give us tender hearts 00:56 and open minds to receive the truth as it is in Jesus. 01:01 And we thank You for hearing our prayer, for we ask it 01:03 in Jesus' name, amen. 01:07 In our last study, we analyzed what the Bible has to say 01:12 about the antichrist. 01:14 And we were studying the passage of the apostle Paul that is 01:17 found in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. 01:21 And basically we noticed that in the Christian world 01:24 there are two ideas concerning the identity of the antichrist. 01:28 The first idea is that the antichrist was a nasty 01:31 individual that arose in Old Testament times 01:35 called Antiochus Epiphanes who lived between 171 and 164 BC. 01:41 Other Christians, mainly conservative Christians, 01:44 believe that the antichrist is a future nasty individual 01:48 who's going to arise and sit in a rebuilt Jewish temple 01:53 after the rapture of the church. 01:55 In other words, for most Christians in the world, 01:58 the antichrist either already came in the distant past 02:02 or the antichrist has not yet come. 02:05 But in our last study, we noticed that the first stage 02:08 of the antichrist has already taken place 02:11 in Christian history. 02:13 Because Scripture tells us that the antichrist 02:16 was going to sit in the temple of God. 02:18 And the temple of God represents the church. 02:22 And so it is a system that claims allegiance to 02:26 Jesus Christ but actually betrays Jesus Christ, 02:30 even though it professes to serve Him and to preach Him. 02:34 Now we want to begin today where we left off 02:37 in our last lecture. 02:38 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 5. 02:41 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 5 tells us that the apostle Paul 02:45 had already told these things to the Thessalonians. 02:48 They already knew everything that he had said 02:51 that we studied last time. 02:53 Notice 2 Thessalonians 2 and verse 5. 02:56 Here the apostle Paul says, "Do you not remember 02:59 that when I was still with you I told you these things?" 03:03 In other words, "This shouldn't be new to you. 03:05 I've already talked to you about the antichrist." 03:08 And then the apostle Paul goes on to speak about 03:11 the mysterious restrainer. 03:14 This is something that was holding back the antichrist 03:18 from manifesting himself. 03:20 From actually revealing himself for what he was. 03:24 Let's read that verse, 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 03:27 and verse 6. 03:29 "And now you know..." 03:31 See, they even knew this; they knew who the restrainer was. 03:40 That is, the antichrist. 03:44 Now as we noticed in our last study, many Christians say, 03:47 "Well you see, the personal pronoun, 'he,' here indicates 03:51 that this is an individual, this is a person. 03:53 Because the personal pronoun, 'he,' is used." 03:56 But we noticed four reasons last time why just because 04:00 the personal pronoun, "he," is used, it doesn't mean 04:04 that it's speaking about an individual, but rather 04:06 about a succession of individuals. 04:09 In other words, a system. 04:12 Now there's an interesting detail here. 04:15 And it is that the apostle Paul does not actually identify 04:19 the restrainer by name. 04:21 Now some Christians believe that the restrainer 04:23 is the Holy Spirit. 04:24 That when the Holy Spirit would be removed, 04:26 then the antichrist would be manifested. 04:29 But I don't believe that the restrainer here that kept 04:33 the antichrist from revealing himself 04:35 actually was the Holy Spirit. 04:37 Because if it had been the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul 04:40 would have had no problem identifying Him. 04:43 But the apostle Paul here is using ambiguous language. 04:47 Because he's saying, "You know what is restraining, 04:51 that he may be revealed in his own time." 04:54 In other words, there's some reason why the apostle Paul 04:57 does not identify the restrainer specifically by name. 05:02 Now I want you to notice the comment that was made by 05:06 the noted Bible commentary, Albert Barnes. 05:09 A very famous Bible commentator. 05:11 He had this to say about the meaning of the restrainer 05:16 who was keeping the man of sin from manifesting himself. 05:19 This is what he says, "The belief among the primitive 05:22 Christians was that what hindered..." 05:26 Another for restrained. 05:28 "...what hindered the rise of the man of sin 05:31 was the Roman Empire. 05:33 And therefore, they prayed for its peace and welfare; 05:38 as knowing that when the Roman Empire should be dissolved 05:43 and broken in pieces..." 05:45 Don't forget that expression. 05:46 "...and broken in pieces, the empire of the man of sin 05:51 would be raised on its ruins." 05:53 In other words, the restrainer was the Roman Empire. 05:55 When the Roman Empire was broken or divided 05:58 in many pieces, then a new empire would arise; 06:02 which is the empire of the antichrist. 06:07 Now in order to understand what the restrainer is, 06:11 we must go back to the Old Testament prophecy 06:15 that is being spoken of by the apostle Paul. 06:18 Do you remember that in our study last time, 06:22 we talked a little bit about the little horn? 06:25 The little horn who thought that it could change 06:27 the law of God, that ruled for 1260 years. 06:32 Well the fact is that Daniel chapter 7 shows us very clearly 06:37 that the Roman Empire would be broken in pieces. 06:41 And then when it was broken in pieces 06:43 the little horn, or the antichrist, would arise. 06:46 In fact, let's read Daniel chapter 7 and verses 23 and 24. 06:51 Daniel chapter 7 and verses 23 and 24. 06:57 "Thus he said, 'The fourth beast shall be a 07:00 fourth kingdom on earth...'" 07:02 What does that fourth beast represent in Daniel 7? 07:06 Remember, Babylon, Medo Persia, Greece, and what? 07:10 And Rome, very well. 07:11 So it says... 07:23 And now notice what was going to happen to that empire. 07:32 So was the kingdom of Rome going to be divided? 07:35 Absolutely. 07:36 And then who was going to arise when the empire 07:39 was divided into pieces? 07:41 Ah, notice it continues saying... 07:52 Are you catching the picture? 07:54 There's a restrainer. 07:56 When the restrainer is taken out of the way, 07:58 the antichrist manifests himself. 08:01 And we noticed that the early Christians believed 08:04 that when the Roman Empire was broken in pieces, 08:07 the empire of the antichrist would rise. 08:11 Did they have it correct? Did they have it straight? 08:14 They most certainly did. 08:16 Incidentally, in Revelation chapter 13, 08:18 if you go with me there, Revelation chapter 13 08:21 and verse 2, we notice the same sequence 08:26 of the Roman Empire giving its throne and its power 08:29 to the beast, which is the same as the little horn. 08:32 Let's read that, Revelation 13 and verse 2. 08:35 "Now the beast," which is the same as the little horn, 08:38 "which I saw," the beast that ruled for 42 months 08:42 or 1260 years... 08:49 And now notice, "The dragon," which is the fourth beast, 08:52 which represents the Roman Empire... 09:01 So where did the antichrist get his power from? 09:05 He got it from the fourth beast. 09:07 He got it from the dragon beast. 09:09 So antichrist rises after the dragon beast has its fall, 09:14 after the dragon beast is divided into ten kingdoms. 09:17 Is that point clear? 09:19 So the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation 13 09:22 clearly show the sequence. 09:24 The sequence is, the Roman Empire would rule, 09:28 the Roman empire would be divided into ten kingdoms, 09:31 or broken up into ten kingdoms, 09:33 and then the antichrist would arise. 09:36 So the question is, what was it that was restraining 09:39 the antichrist from manifesting himself? 09:41 It must have been the previous power. 09:44 It must have been the Roman Empire. 09:46 Are you following me or not? 09:47 In other words, it's the previous power. 09:49 While the previous power is ruling, a new power cannot rule. 09:53 The previous power has to be taken out of the way, 09:56 and then the antichrist could manifest himself. 10:00 Now let me ask you this, was this antichrist, 10:05 at least the spirit of this antichrist, 10:07 wanting to manifest itself even in the days of the apostle Paul? 10:13 Absolutely. 10:14 Because he says there is something that is what? 10:17 That is restraining it... 10:20 ...in the days of the Roman Empire. 10:22 Now you can't have something restraining this power 10:26 unless the power is there. 10:28 And so basically what you have here is that you have this 10:32 antichrist spirit that is wanting to manifest itself, 10:36 and it's already there in the days of the apostle Paul 10:39 just waiting to manifest itself. 10:41 Is this then speaking about a future antichrist that's 10:44 going to arise after the rapture of the church? 10:47 No. 10:48 This antichrist power was already wanting to 10:51 manifest itself when? 10:53 In the days of the apostle Paul he was already wanting to 10:57 manifest his power. 10:59 Now allow me to give you a little bit of history. 11:02 I'm going to read lots of quotations from historians 11:05 in this presentation. 11:07 That's why I've given you a copy of the lectures 11:09 so that you can follow along. 11:11 Now I want to just go a little bit through the history. 11:15 The Roman Empire, around the fourth century, 11:18 started to be invaded by the barbarian tribes 11:22 from the northern sector of the empire. 11:24 And they began to carve up what had been the Roman Empire. 11:28 In fact, by the year 476 the Roman Empire had been carved 11:33 into ten pieces. 11:34 In that year, 476, the last emperor of the western 11:39 Roman Empire fell. 11:40 His name was Romulus Augustulus. 11:42 After him there was no emperor in Rome. 11:46 Now shortly before this, Constantine had transferred 11:50 the capital of his kingdom to Constantinople, 11:54 or Istanbul, in the eastern Roman Empire. 11:57 And when he went to the eastern Roman Empire, 12:00 the western empire was left to the mercy 12:03 of the barbarian tribes. 12:04 There was no emperor, there was no law, 12:06 there was no order. 12:08 Everything was a disaster, everything was anarchy. 12:12 Allow me to read you a few statements here 12:14 from historians about this period. 12:18 Notice from Alexander Clarence Flick in his book, 12:23 The Rise of the Medieval Church, pages 168 and 169, 12:27 he says this, "The removal of the capital of the empire 12:32 from Rome to Constantinople in 330 left the western 12:37 church practically..." What? 12:41 Is that an important word, "free?" 12:44 If it left it free, what was it before? 12:48 It was restrained, absolutely. 12:51 "...practically free from..." What? 12:54 "...from imperial power." 12:55 So what was restraining? 12:57 The imperial power. 13:00 Now it continues saying, "The removal of the capital 13:02 of the empire from Rome to Constantinople in 330 13:04 left the western church practically free 13:07 from imperial power to develop its own form of organization. 13:12 The Bishop of Rome," and now listen to this, 13:15 "in the seat of the..." What? 13:17 Ah, it's a continuation of Rome, right? 13:19 "...in the seat of the Caesars was now the greatest man 13:22 in the west, and was soon forced to become the political 13:27 as well as the spiritual head." 13:30 Here's another historian, Philip Schaff, 13:32 one of the greatest church historians in history, 13:35 has this to say, "When the western empire 13:38 fell into the hands of the barbarians, 13:42 the Roman Bishop," which later was called the pope, 13:45 "was the only surviving heir of this imperial past. 13:50 Or in the well known dictum of Hobbes, 'the ghost of the 13:55 deceased Roman Empire sitting crowned 13:58 upon the grave thereof.'" 14:00 Interesting, isn't it. 14:02 So who is it that took the place of the Roman Empire? 14:06 It was the Roman Catholic Papacy. 14:09 Notice another comment. 14:10 This is by the Roman Catholic, James P. Conroy, 14:14 in the journal, American Catholic, quarterly review. 14:17 He says, "Long ages ago when Rome, through the neglect 14:21 of the western emperors, was left to the mercy 14:26 of the barbarous hordes, the Romans turned to one figure 14:31 for aid and protection, and asked him to rule them. 14:36 And thus in this simple manner, the best title of all to kingly 14:41 right commenced the temporal sovereignty of the popes. 14:45 And meekly stepping to the throne of Caesar..." 14:49 Listen to this, "And meekly stepping to the throne 14:51 of Caesar, the Vicar of Christ took up the scepter 14:56 to which the emperors and kings of Europe were to 15:00 bow in reverence through so many ages." 15:03 One final quotation, from Douglas Auchincloss, 15:10 in his article, City of God and Man, in Time magazine. 15:14 This was in 1960. 15:16 He had this to say, "The all conquering barbarians 15:20 were storming the gates of Augustine's city..." 15:23 That's Hippo in northern Africa. 15:25 "...when the saint died in 430. 15:27 The north African town of Hippo was one of the last 15:31 imperial outposts to be attacked. 15:33 Rome had already gone under. 15:36 Only four years before, Saint Augustine's City of God 15:39 had laid the theological groundwork 15:42 for the church to step into the void left by the 15:46 collapsing Roman Empire." 15:48 Are you catching the picture? 15:50 So what was restraining the antichrist from 15:52 being manifested? 15:54 What was restraining was the existence of the Roman Empire. 15:59 You see, while the Roman Empire was ruling, 16:02 while you had an emperor in the west, 16:05 then the antichrist could not rule. 16:08 The emperor had to be removed. 16:10 And the first step was when Constantine moved the 16:14 capital to Constantinople. 16:15 The second step is when the barbarians began 16:18 carving up the empire. 16:19 Which finally culminated in the last emperor being deposed 16:23 in the year 476. 16:25 Then at that point the empire had fallen. 16:28 It had been divided into ten kingdoms. 16:30 And now the restrainer was taken out of the way 16:33 and the antichrist could manifest himself and 16:37 fill the void that had been left by Rome. 16:41 Now let me read you some statements by 16:44 the early church fathers. 16:46 They were living shortly before this period, 16:49 and some of them were living during this period. 16:51 They knew who the restrainer was. 16:53 Listen to what Tertullian had to say. 16:56 He was one of the renowned church fathers. 17:00 He said this... 17:16 Is he quoting 2 Thessalonians chapter 2? 17:18 Most certainly. That's what he's commenting on. 17:20 And now notice his question. 17:40 Is that clear? 17:42 Absolutely crystal clear, folks. 17:44 Tertullian understood that what hindered the manifestation 17:48 of the antichrist was the existence of the Roman state. 17:53 That was the obstacle, according to him. 17:56 Now notice what Tertullian also had to say in another place. 17:59 And you have the references to this, if you want 18:01 to check them out. 18:03 He said... 18:18 So what was going to happen when the Roman Empire 18:21 was taken out of the way? 18:23 He said, "...threatening dreadful woes." 18:26 Which happened when the barbarians took over the 18:28 western empire; there was no law and order. 18:31 And so they said to the Bishop of Rome, 18:32 "Why don't you rule over us and why don't you 18:35 put down some order." 18:37 Notice what Ambrose had to say. 18:39 This is another church father, Ambrose. 18:50 Notice also what Chrysostom had to say. 18:52 And this is only a sampling. I have many more. 18:54 I have about three pages of quotations from the 18:57 church fathers where they understood that power that 19:00 hindered, or the restrainer, as the Roman Empire. 19:03 Chrysostom had to say... 19:09 Is that language from 2 Thessalonians 2? 19:12 Absolutely. 19:30 When the empire is dissolved. 19:44 Interesting that the church fathers would believe 19:47 that the restrainer was what? 19:50 That the restrainer was the Roman Empire. 19:52 Now we understand the reason why the apostle Paul 19:54 did not identify by name the restrainer. 19:57 What if the apostle Paul had told the Thessalonians, 20:00 "Well you know that the restrainer is the Roman Empire. 20:02 But the Roman Empire, when it's taken out of the way, 20:05 then the antichrist will be manifested." 20:08 What would be a problem there? 20:10 Oh, he'd have trouble with the Roman Empire, wouldn't he. 20:13 Because the Roman Empire would say, 20:14 "We're going to be taken out of the way? 20:16 Are you promoting the idea that the 20:18 Roman Empire is going to fall?" 20:20 He would have been accused of sedition against 20:23 the Roman Empire. 20:24 And so the apostle Paul says, "You know what's restraining." 20:27 The church fathers understood what was restraining. 20:30 But he does not identify by name the restrainer. 20:33 Because if he did, it would cause persecution of Christians. 20:37 Are you understanding the reason why? 20:39 If it had been the Holy Spirit, he would have clearly said, 20:41 "The Holy Spirit is restraining." 20:43 Because that would not be a difficult idea 20:47 for the Romans to accept. 20:48 Now I want to read you an interesting statement. 20:52 Actually a couple of statements from a Roman Catholic cardinal. 20:57 His name is Cardinal Henry Edward Manning. 21:01 He lived actually in the 19th century. 21:04 He converted from the Anglican Communion to the 21:07 Roman Catholic Church. 21:08 Right around the same time that John Henry Newman 21:11 converted also from the Anglican Communion 21:13 to the Roman Catholic Church. 21:15 And I don't believe that... 21:17 In fact, I know that Cardinal Manning 21:20 really does not know the implications of what 21:23 he says in these statements. 21:24 He doesn't understand. 21:25 But when we read it carefully, we understand perfectly 21:28 that he's writing about the removal of the empire. 21:31 And he's actually saying that the Roman Catholic Church 21:33 is the predicted antichrist. 21:35 Even though he doesn't say so and he doesn't believe that. 21:37 But notice the language. 21:39 The first statement is in his book, 21:41 The Temporal Power of the Vicar of Jesus Christ. 21:44 In the preface of the book he says this, listen carefully... 21:51 He's speaking about Constantine moving to the east. 21:59 What needs to happen if you're going to be liberated? 22:02 You have to be restrained, right? 22:10 That is, of the popes. 22:11 Are you understanding what he's saying? 22:13 He doesn't understand what he's saying. 22:15 He doesn't understand the implications 22:17 as they apply to 2 Thessalonians 2. 22:19 Now notice what he continues saying. 22:27 And then he mentions several barbarian tribes. 22:37 So what did the barbarians do? 22:40 They effaced the remnants of the empire. 22:42 In other words, the empire what? 22:44 Fell. 22:46 And then he says... 22:57 So who stepped into the void? 22:59 The pontiffs. 23:00 He continues saying... 23:05 Interesting, again the word, "liberation." 23:15 So what was the problem with the successor of Peter before this? 23:20 He was what? 23:21 He was chained, he was restrained. 23:24 But when the barbarians invaded, what happened? 23:27 The Bishop of Rome takes the ascendency 23:30 and the chains fall off. 23:31 He's not restrained anymore. 23:33 Notice what he continues saying. 23:34 "And from the hour of this providential liberation, 23:37 when, by a divine intervention, the chains fell off from the 23:40 hands of the successor of St. Peter, as once before 23:43 his own, no sovereign has ever reigned in Rome 23:48 except the Vicar of Jesus Christ." 23:51 Is that a significant statement? 23:53 That is a powerful statement. 23:55 Notice there's another one. 23:56 This is on pages 11 to 13 of the same book, 23:59 The Temporal Power of the Vicar of Jesus Christ. 24:02 He says this, "It," that is the papacy... 24:12 So what needed to happen? 24:15 The bonds needed to be broken asunder. 24:26 Why could they be released from subjection to civil powers? 24:29 Because the Roman Empire what? 24:32 Ceased to rule. It fell. 24:34 There was no longer any emperor. 24:37 And so he says... 24:53 So who is the restrainer? 24:55 The restrainer is the what? 24:57 The Roman Empire. 24:59 And when the Roman Empire was taken out of the way, 25:02 then the antichrist power could fill the void, 25:06 could take the place of the empire that existed before. 25:10 Now let me ask you, was there a specific time 25:13 set apart for this? 25:14 Absolutely. 25:16 Is there a prophecy that says exactly when this 25:19 power would rise and when this power would fall? 25:22 Do you remember we studied about the little horn? 25:24 How long was the little horn going to rule? 25:26 Time, times, and the dividing of time. 25:31 Revelation chapter 13, as well as, well actually chapter 13, 25:37 says that he would rule 42 months. 25:39 Revelation chapter 12 says that this power would rule 25:42 1260 days, which are years. 25:47 So was there a time specific when this power was 25:50 going to manifest itself? 25:51 Absolutely. 25:52 Now notice what the apostle Paul says next. 25:54 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 6. 26:01 See, once again he doesn't identify the restrainer. 26:04 He says, "You know what is restraining, 26:08 that he may be revealed..." When? 26:13 "...in his own time." 26:16 Had God established a time when he was going to be manifested? 26:19 Absolutely. 26:20 Daniel 7 has the chronology of when he would be manifested. 26:25 It would be when the empire was broken apart, 26:28 the ten horns appeared, and then the little horn 26:32 would be manifested. 26:34 In other words, his time would come. 26:37 Now let's go to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 7. 26:40 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 7. 26:43 Was this power already wanting to manifest itself 26:46 in the days of the apostle Paul? 26:48 Absolutely. 26:49 So is this some future antichrist who is 26:51 going to sit in a rebuilt Jerusalem temple? 26:53 Absolutely not. 26:54 Because it was already wanting to manifest its power 26:57 in the days of Paul. 26:59 So it already existed, the spirit of it, 27:01 existed in the days of Paul. 27:03 Now notice 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 7. 27:07 He's going to give a new name to this system. 27:10 He says, "For the mystery of..." What? 27:18 Did you notice that previously he was called the man of what? 27:21 Sin. 27:22 Here, it's called the mystery of what? 27:24 Lawlessness. 27:26 Is this apostasy going to have anything to do with God's law? 27:29 Absolutely. What is sin? 27:30 Transgression of the law. Right? 27:33 Interestingly enough, the two words that are used in 27:36 2 Thessalonians 2, "sin," "the man of sin," 27:40 and, "the mystery of lawlessness," 27:42 those are the very two words that are used in 27:44 1 John chapter 3 and verse 4 where it says, 27:47 "sin is lawlessness." 27:51 So this power was going to be a power that 27:53 would attack God's law. 27:55 Now obviously it wouldn't be an open attack, 27:58 a blasphemous attack. 28:00 It would be a camouflaged attack against God's law. 28:06 As it says in Daniel chapter 7 and verse 25, 28:08 "He would think to..." What? 28:10 To change God's law. 28:12 In that way he would attack God's holy law. 28:15 And so it says, "For the mystery of lawlessness..." 28:22 Even in his day. 28:34 And see, Christians, they say, "See, once again, 'he,' means 28:37 a person or an individual." 28:40 Because it says very clearly here, it says, 28:43 "He now restrains until he is taken out of the way." 28:49 Actually, it's a very weak argument to say that 28:51 the word, "he," that the personal pronoun, "he," 28:53 means that it's an individual or a person. 28:56 Because I want you to notice in Romans chapter 13 29:00 that the Roman Empire is referred to with a personal 29:02 pronoun masculine also. 29:05 Notice Romans chapter 13 and verse 4. 29:10 Romans chapter 13 and verse 4. 29:12 He's speaking about the Roman Empire. 29:15 And notice what he says. 29:16 Not speaking about a specific ruler of the Roman Empire. 29:20 He says, "For he is..." What? 29:24 "...God's minister to you for good. 29:28 But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear 29:34 the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, 29:39 an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil." 29:43 Now you read the context of those verses. 29:45 It's talking about the rulers and the magistrates of Rome. 29:50 It's not talking about a specific magistrate 29:52 or a specific emperor. 29:54 It's simply saying, the Roman Empire is meant 29:58 to keep the peace and to keep civil order. 30:01 And notice that three times in this passage, 30:04 the personal pronoun masculine singular, "he," 30:08 is used to describe the Roman Empire. 30:11 So if the, "he," here can refer to the Roman Empire, 30:14 then why can't the restrainer who is referred with the 30:17 personal pronoun, "he," refer also to the Roman Empire? 30:20 Are you understanding my point? 30:23 Now, do you know that the Bible teaches 30:27 that this power was not only going to rule in the past, 30:31 but this power was also going to rule in the future. 30:35 The Bible says that at the end of its first stage 30:37 it would receive a deadly wound. 30:40 But then its deadly wound would be what? 30:42 Its deadly wound would be healed. 30:45 Now let's read once again 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 7, 30:48 and then we'll come to this aspect of the healing 30:52 of the deadly wound just for a few moments. 30:54 Verse 7 says... 31:07 What does that expression indicate, 31:08 "taken out of the way." 31:11 Is it a case that he says. "Oh, okay, I'm just going to move 31:15 and you just move in." 31:16 No. 31:18 Somebody is what? 31:20 Taking him out of the way. 31:22 Who were the ones that took the Roman Empire out of the way? 31:25 The barbarian invasions took the empire out of the way. 31:29 And the barbarian invasions came because Constantine 31:32 moved the capital of the empire to the east. 31:35 And as a result, the western Roman Empire 31:37 was greatly weakened. 31:39 Now I mentioned that this power's strength 31:45 is going to be seen again. 31:46 In other words, it's deadly wound which it received 31:49 in 1798 when the pope was taken prisoner 31:53 and he died in exile in France, he's going to be healed 31:57 from that wound and he's going to rule again. 31:59 Now let me read you a very significant statement 32:02 that was written by Malachi Martin. 32:07 Now let me explain who Malachi Martin was. 32:09 He was a Jesuit Roman Catholic priest. 32:12 He died a few years ago. 32:14 He was also an exorcist. 32:16 And he wrote a very famous book called, The Keys of This Blood. 32:20 But this statement in Christianity Today is a 32:22 very interesting statement. 32:25 You know, the papacy lost its power in 1798, 32:29 which was the culmination of the French Revolution. 32:32 The French Revolution began in 1789 32:35 and it continued until 1798. 32:38 The pope taken prisoner was the climax 32:40 of the spirit of the French Revolution. 32:42 That's when the papacy lost its ability to use the 32:46 civil powers of the world to accomplish its purposes. 32:49 Now notice what Malachi Martin has to say 32:52 here in Christianity Today, November 21, 1986. 32:57 He says, "For 1500 years and more, Rome," 33:02 he means the papacy, "Rome had kept as strong a hand 33:07 as possible in each local community 33:09 around the wide world." 33:10 What had the papacy done, according to him, 33:12 for 1500 years and more? 33:15 It had "kept as strong a hand as possible 33:17 in each local community around the world." 33:19 And then he says this, "By and large, 33:22 and admitting some exceptions, that had been the Roman view." 33:27 What had been the Roman view? 33:31 It had "kept as strong a hand as possible 33:33 in each local community around the whole world." 33:36 That was the Roman view. 33:37 Now notice, "By and large, and admitting some exceptions, 33:40 that had been the Roman view until 200 years 33:47 of inactivity had been..." What? 33:53 "...imposed upon the papacy..." By whom? 33:59 "...by the major secular powers of the world." 34:03 Was this power restrained again? 34:05 After it received its deadly wound was it restrained again? 34:08 Who restrained it? 34:10 The major what? 34:12 Secular powers of the world. 34:14 Now let me ask you, in order for its wound to be healed, 34:17 what must happen? 34:19 It must be able once again to rule 34:23 the secular powers of the world. 34:25 Are you with me? 34:26 In other words, it must be able to use the states of the world 34:29 to accomplish its purposes. 34:32 Now the interesting thing is this; 34:35 this is being written in 1986. 34:38 And he's saying that 200 years, up to that point, 34:43 of inactivity had been imposed upon the papacy. 34:49 So let's go back from 1986 two-hundred years. 34:53 Because that's the period of inactivity, according to him, 34:56 imposed by the major secular powers of the world. 34:59 You go back, where does that take you? 35:02 It takes you back to 1786. 35:08 And that's very near to what? 35:11 To the period of the deadly wound 35:13 and the French Revolution. 35:16 So let me ask you, what was it that took away the power 35:19 from the Roman Catholic papacy, 35:20 according to this Roman Catholic theologian? 35:24 It was the French Revolution and when the pope was 35:27 taken captive to France. 35:28 He says, since then the major secular powers of the world 35:32 have imposed upon this system, what? 35:35 Inactivity. 35:36 Now let me read you a statement from Ellen White. 35:38 This is an amazing statement. 35:39 It's found in Great Controversy, 564. 35:42 She says that restraint is going to be removed. 35:46 This is what she says. 35:48 "Let the restraints..." Notice the terminology. 36:12 Are you understanding that statement? 36:14 It's a powerful statement. 36:16 What she's saying is that the papacy has a deadly wound. 36:19 She says that it needs to be reinstated, 36:22 and there would speedily be a revival. 36:25 In order to have a revival, it has to be what? 36:28 Inactive. 36:30 And what is it that would lead to her revival? 36:32 The taking away of the what? 36:35 Of the restraints imposed by what? 36:37 By the secular governments of the world. 36:41 In Great Controversy, page 581, she says this... 36:50 You can't re-establish something that wasn't established first. 37:00 And then she says how it's going to happen. 37:24 Now let me read you a statement from a reformed theologian. 37:27 He's actually quoting Ayn Rand. 37:30 And this woman was a novelist, a philosopher, a playwright, 37:34 a screenwriter; a multi-talented person. 37:37 And notice what she said all the way back in 1967. 37:40 "The Catholic church has never given up the hope 37:44 to re-establish the medieval union of church and state; 37:50 with a global state and a global theocracy as its ultimate goal. 37:56 The Roman church-state is a hybrid; a monster of 38:00 ecclesiastical and political power. 38:02 Its political thought is totalitarian. 38:05 And whenever it has had the opportunity to apply its 38:09 principles, the result has been bloody repression. 38:12 If during the last 30 years it has softened its assertions of 38:17 full supreme and irresponsible power 38:20 and has murdered fewer people than before, 38:23 such changes in behavior are not due to a change in its ideas, 38:27 but to a change in its circumstances." 38:31 What are those circumstances? 38:33 It is restrained by the secular powers of the world. 38:36 The governments do not allow her to lord it over them. 38:40 Like in the Middle Ages. 38:43 He continues saying, or she continues saying, 38:45 "The Roman church-state in the 20th century, however, 38:49 is an institution recovering from a mortal wound." 38:54 And then she says this, "If and when..." 38:57 I would take away the "if," because it's a 38:59 matter of "when." 39:00 But she says, "If and when it regains its full power 39:06 and authority, it will impose a regime more sinister 39:12 than any the planet has yet seen." 39:17 Is the restraint going to be removed? 39:20 Absolutely. 39:21 What was the restraints in the times of the apostle Paul? 39:25 The secular power was ruling, 39:28 and the religious power was bound. 39:31 What happened when the secular power was removed? 39:34 The chains fell off. 39:36 In 1798, what happened? 39:39 The cuffs were put back on by the civil powers of the world. 39:44 When will the cuffs fall off again? 39:47 When the secular powers of the world step back and they say, 39:50 "We'll do as you say we're suppose to do." 39:54 It's that simple. 39:56 Now the Bible tells us what this final controversy 39:59 is going to be about. 40:01 This is the man of sin. 40:03 This is the mystery of lawlessness. 40:06 The end time controversy is going to have to do with 40:08 God's holy law. 40:10 That's why Revelation 12 verse 17, a very famous 40:14 verse in Adventist circles, says, "And the dragon was 40:17 enraged with the woman, and went to make war 40:21 with the rest of her offspring, who..." What? 40:24 "...who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony 40:28 of Jesus Christ." 40:29 Satan hates those who keep the commandments. 40:31 And so does the man of sin, who is the representative 40:35 of the mystery of lawlessness, who claims to have had the 40:38 power to change God's holy law. 40:41 Can any human being change God's holy law? 40:44 Absolutely not. 40:46 By the way, most of the attack on God's law 40:51 is an attack on the first table of the law. 40:55 The Bible says that this power is going to sit in the 40:57 temple of God showing himself to be God. 40:59 Is he breaking the first commandment, 41:01 "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." 41:04 Is he going to raise an image and command everyone 41:07 to worship the image? 41:08 Does that involve the second commandment, 41:11 "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image." 41:13 Absolutely. 41:14 How about the third commandment, "Don't take the name of 41:16 the Lord your God in vain." 41:18 Does this power blaspheme the name of God 41:20 by claiming to exercise the power and prerogatives of God? 41:23 Yes. 41:25 Is this power a power that attacks God's holy Sabbath 41:28 by claiming to have changed Sabbath to Sunday? 41:30 Yes. 41:31 In other words, the final attack is against the first 41:34 table of God's holy law. 41:36 Primarily. 41:37 Not primarily against the second table of the law. 41:41 Now the Bible predicts some amazing things that are 41:43 going to happen in the future. 41:45 Once this power regains its authority and regains its 41:48 throne, as Ayn Rand said, "It will establish 41:55 a regime more sinister than any the planet has yet seen." 41:59 And it's going to do it not only through force, 42:03 but through deception. 42:04 Let's continue our study in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 42:08 and verse 9. 42:10 It says here, "The coming..." 42:13 You know what that word is, "coming," there? 42:16 It's the word, "parousia." 42:18 Is the antichrist also going to have his parousia? 42:22 Is it going to be before the parousia of Christ? 42:25 Absolutely. 42:26 There's going to be a counterfeit parousia 42:29 by the antichrist. 42:30 The same word is used, as we studied before. 42:32 And so it says, "The coming of the lawless one..." 42:35 Notice once again the emphasis on lawless. 42:38 "The coming of the lawless one is according to the 42:40 working of..." Whom? 42:42 "...of Satan with all power, signs..." And what? 42:47 "...and lying wonders." 42:49 Are all miracles from God? 42:52 You know, I was once talking to an individual who 42:54 belonged to a charismatic church. 42:57 And he said, "You Adventists have the truth, 42:59 but we've got the Spirit." 43:02 And I said, "We've got the truth, but you 43:05 don't have the Spirit. 43:06 And he said, "What do you mean?" 43:08 I said, "The Bible says that we're suppose to worship 43:10 God in Spirit and in truth. 43:13 We cannot worship God in the Spirit without the truth. 43:15 And we cannot worship God in truth without the Spirit. 43:18 They have to go together." 43:20 He said, "Well, we have signs and wonders. 43:22 We have miracles and we speak in tongues. 43:24 And we have healing and all these things." 43:26 I said, "So does the devil." 43:30 In fact, let's continue reading here. 43:32 Don't depend on signs and wonders and miracles, 43:36 because the devil can counterfeit the genuine. 43:40 Notice what we find in Acts chapter 2 and verse 22. 43:43 Acts chapter 2 and verse 22. 43:47 This is speaking about the miracles that were 43:49 performed by Jesus. 43:50 Now you noticed three words that we just read in 43:52 2 Thessalonians 2:9. 43:54 It says the antichrist will come with power, signs, 43:57 and lying wonders. 43:59 Now there's only one other verse in the Bible that 44:01 uses those three identical words. 44:03 They're not translated the same, 44:04 but they're the same three words. 44:06 And they refer to the miracles that Christ performed. 44:08 Acts 2 and verse 22. 44:11 "Men of Israel, hear these words..." 44:19 Those are the identical three words. 44:28 So what is the antichrist going to do? 44:31 He's going to perform the same signs and wonders 44:34 that who performed? 44:35 That Jesus Christ performed. 44:37 Only, the antichrist does it by the power of Satan, 44:41 according to what we just read. 44:42 Whereas Jesus performed these things by the power of whom? 44:46 By the power of God. 44:47 In fact, this prophecy tells us that Satan is going to 44:51 counterfeit the second coming of Jesus Christ. 44:55 Now you say, "Where does the Bible say that?" 44:57 Go with me to Matthew chapter 24. 44:59 This isn't in your list. I added it afterwards. 45:01 Matthew 24 and verse 23 through verse 27. 45:05 And we'll read this quickly. 45:07 Matthew chapter 24 and verses 23 through 27. 45:11 This is at the very end of the tribulation period. 45:14 And notice once again, signs and wonders and miracles 45:17 through which the devil is going to try and deceive people. 45:20 It says there in verse 23... 45:40 Now notice, is there going to be someone who is going to 45:44 counterfeit the second coming of Christ? 45:45 Listen carefully, verse 26... 46:05 Ellen White calls this the almost overmastering delusion. 46:09 In fact, let me read you the description that she gives 46:12 that she saw in vision of how Satan is going to counterfeit 46:15 the second coming of Christ. 46:17 This is in Great Controversy page 624. 46:19 It's a rather long passage, but it's very significant. 46:22 She says, "As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, 46:27 Satan himself will personate Christ. 46:30 The church has long professed to look to the Saviour's advent 46:34 as the consummation of her hopes. 46:36 Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. 46:40 In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself 46:44 among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, 46:48 resembling the description of the Son of God 46:50 given by John in the Revelation. 46:53 The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything 46:57 that mortal eyes have yet beheld. 46:59 The shout of triumph rings out upon the air, 47:02 'Christ has come! Christ has come!'" 47:04 If you believe that Jesus is coming back to this earth 47:06 to establish His kingdom here for a thousand years, 47:08 you're going to be deceived. 47:11 Now notice what she continues saying. 47:13 "The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him..." 47:16 These are Christians, folks. 47:17 "And he lifts up his hands and pronounces 47:20 a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed his disciples 47:23 when he was upon the earth. 47:25 His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. 47:30 In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the 47:34 same gracious, heavenly truths which the Saviour uttered; 47:38 he heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his 47:42 assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the 47:46 Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day 47:49 which he has blessed. 47:51 He declares that those who persist in keeping holy the 47:54 seventh day are blaspheming his name by refusing to listen 47:58 to his angels sent to them with light and truth. 48:01 This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion." 48:07 Interesting, she's referring to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. 48:10 That's where the language comes from. 48:12 "This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion." 48:16 How are God's people going to know this isn't really Christ? 48:20 By two things. 48:22 First, we need to know how Jesus is going to come. 48:25 You know, I once heard a minister, an Adventist 48:27 minister, who said, "I don't care how Jesus is coming. 48:29 I only care that He is coming." 48:33 Let me tell you, if you don't know how He is coming, 48:39 you probably will accept the wrong "he." 48:43 Because you have to know how He's coming, 48:45 that's the first one. 48:46 And secondly, you have to know what the Bible teaches. 48:51 Now notice what she continues saying. 48:53 "But the people of God will not be misled. 48:55 The teachings of this false christ are not 48:58 in accordance with the Scriptures." 49:01 So what do we compare everything with? 49:03 The Scriptures. 49:05 "His blessing is pronounced upon the worshipers of the beast 49:08 and his image, the very class upon whom the Bible declares 49:12 that God's unmingled wrath shall be poured out." 49:15 And then she says not only are his teachings contrary 49:18 to the Bible, but then she speaks about the 49:20 manner of Christ's coming. 49:21 "And furthermore, Satan is not permitted to counterfeit 49:25 the manner of Christ's advent. 49:27 The Saviour has warned His people against deception 49:30 upon this point, and has clearly foretold the manner 49:33 of His second coming. 49:34 'There shall arise false christs, and false prophets, 49:37 and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, 49:40 if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect... 49:43 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, 49:45 "Behold, He is in the desert;" go not forth; 49:48 "Behold, He is in the secret chambers," believe it not. 49:51 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, 49:53 and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the 49:56 coming of the Son of man be.' 49:59 This coming there is no possibility of counterfeiting. 50:03 It will be universally known; witnessed by the whole world." 50:09 So every eye is going to see him simultaneously. 50:12 Don't ask me to scientifically explain that. 50:15 But the Bible says so. 50:17 And I believe it. 50:18 And He's not going to touch the earth. 50:21 He's going to be above the earth and we are going to be 50:24 gathered together to Him. 50:25 He said so in verse 1. 50:27 Not Him gathered to us, we gather to Him. 50:29 And then He is going to take us to His Father's house. 50:33 So if any individual comes, even if he looks like Christ 50:36 and performs miracles, and walks on the earth and 50:39 speaks beautiful words like Jesus spoke; 50:42 he's walking on the earth, and that is not Christ. 50:45 And we're not suppose to go out and even look. 50:48 She ends this statement by saying, 50:50 "Only those who have been diligent students of the 50:53 Scriptures and who have received the love of the truth 50:58 will be shielded from the powerful delusion 51:01 that takes the world captive. 51:03 By the Bible testimony these will detect 51:06 the deceiver in his disguise." 51:10 How important is it to study the Bible 51:13 and strengthen your mind with Scripture? 51:15 It is a matter of life and death. 51:17 And the church has gone far astray from Scripture; 51:21 justifying all kinds of practices that are 51:24 contrary to Scripture in the name of culture. 51:29 It's not culture that dictates what we believe 51:31 and what we practice. 51:32 It's God's holy Word that dictates what Christians 51:36 should do, and what they should speak, and where they should go, 51:39 and what they should eat, and when they should worship, 51:41 and how they should worship. 51:43 God has given indications on all of these things. 51:47 Now let's go to verse 10. 51:48 Because our time is running out. 51:50 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 10. 51:53 Why are most people going to be deceived? 51:56 Listen carefully. 51:58 It says that the antichrist will come "with all unrighteous 52:02 deception among those who perish..." 52:07 Why? 52:08 Listen, "Because..." 52:11 Here's the reason why they're going to perish. 52:21 How important is it to know the truth 52:23 and follow the truth? 52:25 It's a matter of life and death, folks. 52:27 And where do we find truth? 52:31 On CNN? 52:33 Well, there's some truth in CNN. 52:36 Or the New York Times? 52:39 What our preacher says? 52:41 Maybe. 52:42 Some truth. 52:44 But where do we find absolute and undiluted truth? 52:48 In God's Word. 52:50 And so it says, "Because they did not receive the love of 52:53 the truth that they might be saved." 52:54 Jesus said in John 17 and verse 17, 52:57 "Sanctify them by Your truth." 52:59 That is, "Make them holy by Your truth." 53:02 "Your word is truth." 53:06 By the way, the Bible also says that God's law is the truth. 53:10 Psalm 119 and verse 142 says... 53:24 And so what is the issue going to be at the end of time? 53:27 The issue is very simple. 53:29 Do you obey God's commandments because you love Him? 53:32 Are you willing even to die to be loyal to God? 53:36 Not as a legalist, but as someone who loves Jesus 53:39 so much that you're not willing to bend your knee 53:43 to anyone else; to the beast, his image, or receive his mark, 53:46 because your love for Jesus is number one. 53:50 That is going to be the issue. 53:51 Just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. 53:54 For them, being loyal to God and not bowing before the image, 53:59 which was raised up by Nebuchadnezzar, 54:01 was more important than life itself. 54:05 They lived by every word that proceeds 54:07 out of the mouth of God. 54:09 And now I want to end by going to verses 11 and 12. 54:13 Verses 11 and 12. 54:16 The Bible says that because they did not receive 54:18 the love of the truth, that they might be saved, 54:21 something happens. 54:22 It says, "And God will send them..." 54:25 Now the Bible attributes to God what God allows. 54:28 You understand that? 54:29 It's not that God is deluding people. 54:32 It's that these people did not want to receive 54:34 the love of the truth, and so God says, 54:35 "I'm not going to force the truth on you. 54:37 I'll just withdraw." 54:38 And when God withdraws, then they're deluded. 54:41 Are you understanding what this is saying? 54:43 It's not that God deludes people or deceives people. 54:46 Because God does not deceive anyone. 54:48 He wants everyone to be saved. 54:49 And so it says... 54:53 In other words, He will allow them to be deluded. 54:58 Now listen carefully. 55:00 This is not that they should believe a lie. 55:04 The word, "lie," here has the definite article, "the" lie. 55:10 What lie is this referring to? 55:12 According to the context, what is the lie? 55:17 The counterfeit what? 55:19 The counterfeit second coming of Christ. 55:22 That they should believe the lie. 55:25 In other words, the counterfeit parousia. 55:29 So because they did not receive the love of the truth, 55:32 they believe the lie. 55:34 And the word, "lie," here is the word, "pseudos." 55:38 Which means, "false," "counterfeit." 55:41 "...that they should believe the lie, 55:45 that they all may be condemned who did not..." 55:48 Once again, the same idea. 55:50 "...who did not believe..." What? 55:52 "...the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 55:58 Folks, the only standard in this world that we can trust in 56:01 is God's Word. 56:04 Not science, not philosophy, not historians. 56:08 Not that they don't have some truth. 56:11 We need to compare what they say with Scripture. 56:14 But the ultimate authority by which we test 56:16 everything in this world to determine whether 56:19 it's true or false is the absolute standard 56:24 of God's holy Word. 56:27 As Jesus said when he was in the mount of temptation. 56:30 The devil used all kinds of temptations to try and get 56:35 Jesus to sin. 56:36 But every time that the devil came to Jesus, 56:39 Jesus didn't say, "Well, I don't think that 56:41 what you're saying is right." 56:43 Or you know, "It doesn't look right." 56:46 Or, "It doesn't feel right." 56:48 Or, "It doesn't sound right." 56:50 That wasn't the standard that Jesus applied. 56:53 Every single time, all three times, when the devil came, 56:57 Jesus said what? 56:59 "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 57:04 but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'" 57:09 It's my prayer that we will make the choice 57:13 of living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, 57:16 no matter what it might cost. 57:19 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world 57:23 and loses his soul. |
Revised 2014-12-17