1 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:10,200 Good evening everybody. The faithful remnant that have 2 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:13,680 blown on in tonight. Let's let's stand together and 3 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:16,680 we'll pray and then we'll open God's word. 4 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:20,440 Father in Heaven, we thank you for this place that we're able 5 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:23,640 to gather now in your name and we thank you for your word that 6 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:26,480 we're able to open and have you speak to us through. 7 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:31,080 We pray and ask your blessing upon us now gathered here and 8 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:35,440 those joining us online and and those yet to view this after. 9 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:39,720 We pray that Lord God, your Holy Spirit would speak with the 10 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:44,320 clarity that you provide. We would have ears ready to 11 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:49,880 hear. We love you, we praise you, we 12 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:54,080 honour you. These things we ask now in Jesus 13 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:56,680 name Amen. You may be seated open your 14 00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:59,880 Bible to the Book of Revelation chapter 13. 15 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:04,480 The title of tonight's message is the counterfeit Kingdom. 16 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:10,720 As you're turning to Revelation 13 we live in a time where you 17 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:15,280 and I, we can purchase a lot of copies for most items. 18 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:18,240 You know some of us we do this knowingly. 19 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:22,320 It might be a particular watch that's ordinarily out of our 20 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:27,160 purchasing power, but we can buy the the genuine fake copy. 21 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:34,840 It might be a particular garment or maybe a little fashion item, 22 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:39,360 some sunglasses or a purse or something, or a pair of shoes. 23 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:42,880 And we know that it's not real, but we're buying it just because 24 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:46,800 it has the appearance thereof. But then there's others of us 25 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:51,080 who have unwittingly maybe made a purchase that we thought was 26 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:55,360 genuine and it's arrived and we've looked at it and we've 27 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:57,240 gone. That is ridiculously fake. 28 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:01,880 I can't believe how duped I was. Or if it looks like the real 29 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:05,880 deal, inevitably what happens as you begin to use it, it breaks, 30 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:09,120 It reveals itself to be the fake that it is. 31 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:15,120 And so my point in starting in this fashion is that we when 32 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:18,840 that deliberate intention to deceive takes place, how do we 33 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:22,240 feel in response to that? We get frustrated, we get 34 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:24,760 annoyed, we're angry. I can't believe I was duped, or 35 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:27,360 I can't believe they would do that and take advantage, or how 36 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:29,560 silly of me. Of course, that price was too 37 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:33,360 good to be true. Well, Satan, the Bible tells us, 38 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:38,160 is the ultimate imitator. He offers nothing but cheap, 39 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:43,240 copycat reproductions of the authentic eternal truths of God. 40 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:47,160 And when he does so, he deceives. 41 00:02:47,640 --> 00:02:50,120 When he does so, he destroys. He ruins. 42 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:52,920 He hurts. And in tonight's passage, we 43 00:02:52,920 --> 00:02:56,040 come across probably his most vilest attempt at that. 44 00:02:56,320 --> 00:03:00,680 Tonight, we look at the beast in Revelation 13. 45 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:04,600 The beast is known throughout the scriptures in other terms 46 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:07,520 that maybe you're familiar with. But what we won't see tonight is 47 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:12,760 glowing red eyes. We won't see head to toe black 48 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:18,280 A666 tattooed on the forehead and sulphuric steam coming out 49 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:20,680 of the nostrils or emanating from his body. 50 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:27,040 Rather, what we will read of and see is that this beast comes as 51 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:34,960 suave, magnetic, intelligent, engaging, charismatic, ushering 52 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:37,800 in peace. But it's all false. 53 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:42,080 It's a counterfeit. It's a copycat imitation. 54 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:47,720 He will be the Antichrist. And Antichrist not only means 55 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:51,560 typically as we understand it to be against God, but more so a 56 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:55,720 more accurate understanding of it is to be in place of in 57 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:59,880 imitation of God. I mentioned Antichrist and it 58 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:03,880 may be conjures Hollywood movies for for some people and for 59 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:09,320 others that may be wondered speculated who he is. 60 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:14,720 Some might even be asking why should I even care about this 61 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:18,160 topic or this subject matter. Let me give you one reason. 62 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:23,240 It's mentioned in our passage tonight and the Bible actually 63 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:27,520 pays great attention to this individual and I and I say him. 64 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:32,280 There are over 100 passages in the Bible detailing this 65 00:04:32,280 --> 00:04:36,080 individual's origin, nationality, the career, 66 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:40,360 character, Kingdom, accomplishments, treachery, and 67 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:43,520 their doom, their demise. And that's what's the end for 68 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:47,280 this individual. As we read, it's covered in 69 00:04:47,280 --> 00:04:50,320 Revelation, of course, we're about to read, but also in 70 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:55,320 Daniel, referenced in Second Thessalonians, discussed in 71 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:59,480 First John, the spirit of Antichrist specifically. 72 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:01,560 Let me give you a few scriptural references. 73 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:04,800 He is the little horn of Daniel Chapter 7, verse 8. 74 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:10,000 The king of fierce countenance of Daniel chapter 8, verse 23. 75 00:05:10,840 --> 00:05:14,600 The Prince that shall come of Daniel 9, verse 26. 76 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:20,480 The willful king of Daniel Chapter 11, verses 36 to 45. 77 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:25,200 The one who comes in his own name, John 5 verse 43, whom 78 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:30,800 Israel will receive as their Messiah, the Son of perdition, 79 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:34,160 the man of sin, the lawless one of Second Thessalonians. 80 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:37,000 I mean, the sheer volume of Scriptures that's just a a 81 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:41,400 glimpse of those indicate that it's important and why we're 82 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:45,440 looking at tonight. But another reason is this 83 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:50,320 because he is defeated. It's always good to keep that 84 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:54,240 perspective when we read and consider this now, who is the 85 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:58,320 Antichrist from the outset? We don't know. 86 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:04,200 Don't let anyone deceive or indicate to you that they know 87 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:06,880 who the Antichrist is. It hasn't stopped people 88 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:09,880 speculating certainly about the Antichrist. 89 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:14,120 Could he be alive right now? It's very possible, very 90 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:16,840 feasible. What we can be certain of is 91 00:06:16,840 --> 00:06:20,760 this is that each passing day brings his emergence closer. 92 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:23,880 Satan again, is the counterfeiter. 93 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:26,840 He, he, he, he's got no original thought. 94 00:06:26,840 --> 00:06:29,080 He's always copying and imitating God. 95 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:34,240 John is writing in this passage of Revelation tonight somewhat 96 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,440 of a three fold application and interpretation that we can 97 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:40,040 consider. The original audience would have 98 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:42,800 found application in the Roman dominion. 99 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:46,320 No doubt Church history as we read through it has always 100 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:50,880 experienced this opposition evident of spirit of Antichrist 101 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:55,080 in it, but it also speaks of future events and entities. 102 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:59,240 We're going to hopefully cover all of chapter 13 tonight. 103 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:04,400 Let's read verse 1 to 9. Then I stood on the sand of the 104 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:09,480 sea, and I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having 7 heads 105 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:14,120 and 10 horns, and on his horns 10 crowns, and on his head's a 106 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:17,960 blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was 107 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:21,880 like a leopard. His feet were like the feet of a 108 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:24,920 bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. 109 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:29,440 The dragon gave him his power, his throne and great authority. 110 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:34,560 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, 111 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:39,240 and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marvelled and 112 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:42,360 followed the beast. So they worshipped this for the 113 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:44,560 dragon who gave authority to the beast. 114 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:48,160 And they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast 115 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:50,040 who is able to make war with him? 116 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:54,080 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and 117 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:56,680 blasphemies. He was given authority to 118 00:07:56,680 --> 00:08:01,840 continue for 42 months. We've seen that period of time 119 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:04,200 mentioned again and again through Revelation, haven't we? 120 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:08,280 Sometimes in days, sometimes in time times and half a time. 121 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:12,840 But here 42 months, 3 1/2 years. Then he opened his mouth in 122 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:17,200 blasphemy, verse six against God to blasphemy His name, His 123 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:19,840 Tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 124 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:23,800 It was granted to Him to make war with the Saints and overcome 125 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:28,440 them, and authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, 126 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:31,920 and nation. All who dwell on the earth will 127 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:36,120 worship him whose names have not been written in the Book of Life 128 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:39,280 of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 129 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:44,200 If anyone has an ear, let him hear again. 130 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:48,280 I don't know what when reading this description imagery comes 131 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:51,960 to mind for you, but for me it reads a lot like a science 132 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:55,400 fiction film terminology. The references there, the 133 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:58,760 imagery, but don't let that throw you if it has. 134 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:03,200 John is using figures of speech here to describe his vision as 135 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:05,560 God is giving it to him. So let's look at this 136 00:09:05,560 --> 00:09:08,240 description a little bit. The first sentence of verse one 137 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:12,480 probably better fits and sits at the end of chapter 12. 138 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:18,440 Some of the earliest manuscripts where it has I, as I read out of 139 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:21,200 the new King James, then I stood on the sand of the sea. 140 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:24,960 Some of the other manuscripts have then he stood on the sand 141 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:27,240 of the sea. And if that's the case, that if 142 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:31,200 it's not John that's being referenced, then who is the he? 143 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:34,880 That's why some suggest that it fits at the end of chapter 12. 144 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:37,360 It's in reference to Satan maybe. 145 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:41,920 And the idea in pointing that out is it might help US and 146 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:46,560 understanding that this beast mentioned in Revelation 13 and 147 00:09:46,560 --> 00:09:52,560 his connection to Satan, it's like Satan is calling him out if 148 00:09:52,560 --> 00:09:56,800 it's in fact a he there almost like the the sun or the spawn of 149 00:09:56,800 --> 00:09:59,720 Satan drawing him out, conjuring up the beast. 150 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:03,520 At this point in time, the Antichrist as he's known and 151 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:06,200 many attribute the beast to be the Roman Empire. 152 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:11,840 They cross reference the beasts of Daniel 7, and I can 153 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:15,800 understand how and how the audience of John's writing would 154 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:18,160 have come to that conclusion too. 155 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:21,360 But that's not the only application though it is in fact 156 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:27,760 one because it's mentioned as he as opposed to an it in Daniel 7. 157 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:32,200 What that implies is more of a personal entity, a human 158 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:35,600 individual that we're in reference to with this, the 159 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:40,040 beast being spoken of now, he's rising up out of the sea. 160 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:42,560 It says. Now in Revelation 17 verse 15, 161 00:10:42,560 --> 00:10:46,280 we're told what this sea is that it is in reference to a 162 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:51,880 representation of peoples and nations of the world, not just 163 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:55,160 the the physical Mediterranean Sea, given the location, but 164 00:10:55,320 --> 00:11:00,120 indicative of the origins of this beast that he will be 165 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:04,680 human, having come from the sea, the the peoples, the nations, 166 00:11:04,680 --> 00:11:10,080 humanity, but empowered in some way in some fashion by Satan. 167 00:11:10,680 --> 00:11:14,600 Second Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 9 says the coming of the 168 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:21,080 lawless 1 is according to the working of Satan with or power 169 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:25,160 signs and lying wonders. It's like the saying, maybe 170 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:27,280 you've heard it like father, like son. 171 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:34,640 So understand I'm speaking now of a futuristic interpretation 172 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:37,320 here. The Antichrist, it seems, will 173 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:43,600 be a demon possessed man rising up out of the sea of humanity. 174 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:47,720 So let's briefly discuss these verses that we've read in light 175 00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:50,440 of some Old Testament and New Testament references that come 176 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:54,960 through it. We read here about lions and 177 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:59,080 bears and leopards. What is this? 178 00:11:59,560 --> 00:12:03,760 You remember Daniel, remember Daniel's vision and Daniel is 179 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:06,760 often called the companion book to the Book of Revelation. 180 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:11,440 In Chapter 7 of Daniel, he is given a vision of four animals 181 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:16,800 representing 4 kingdoms. Future for him, Daniel, but 182 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:21,000 hindsight for us. And so we have the lion 183 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:23,520 representative of the Babylonian Empire. 184 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:26,920 The time in which Daniel receives the vision, it was 185 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:31,240 overcome by the Medo Persian Empire, representative of the 186 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:35,680 bear, overcome by the Grecian Empire, the likes of Alexander 187 00:12:35,680 --> 00:12:39,680 the Great and the leopard. Interesting the characteristics 188 00:12:39,680 --> 00:12:42,560 of each of those beasts and the way that those empires, 189 00:12:42,560 --> 00:12:45,400 particularly their military might, would function a very 190 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:48,560 similar in characteristics to those animals mentioned. 191 00:12:48,560 --> 00:12:52,640 But a fourth beast mentioned in Daniel 7 verse 7 has the 192 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:58,440 description of the Roman Empire. There's no 5th beast mentioned. 193 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:02,560 The Roman Empire I remember wasn't necessarily conquered, 194 00:13:02,560 --> 00:13:06,520 but just kind of collapsed, defeated internally. 195 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:09,760 And yes, there are the attacks of the the the Goths and the 196 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:12,880 Huns and other empires, but it really just sort of 197 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:17,040 disintegrated within. So most commentators suggest in 198 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:21,360 studying this, that from the ashes of Rome somehow this 199 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:26,160 Antichrist rises. Daniel 7, verse 8 tells us I was 200 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:30,240 considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little 1 201 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:34,040 coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns 202 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:38,400 were plucked out by the roots. And there in this horn were eyes 203 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:41,720 like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words. 204 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:45,680 And then Daniel chapter 8, verses 23 to 25. 205 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:50,280 And in the latter time of their Kingdom, when the transgressors 206 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:54,520 have reached their fullness, a king shall arise, having fierce 207 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:57,880 features, who understands sinister schemes. 208 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:01,280 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power. 209 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:05,080 He shall destroy fearfully, and shall prosper and thrive. 210 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:08,800 He shall destroy the mighty and also the holy people in 211 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:12,160 reference to the people of Israel through his cunning. 212 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:15,040 Verse 25. He shall cause deceit to prosper 213 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:18,880 under his rule, and he shall exalt himself in his heart. 214 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:21,840 He shall destroy many in their prosperity. 215 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:26,800 He shall even rise against the Prince of Princess, but he shall 216 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:32,160 be broken without human means. Further to this, Daniel Chapter 217 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:36,280 9 verse 26 speaks of the Prince to come will be from people 218 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:41,920 destroyed the temple Who destroyed the temple, the Romans 219 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:45,760 in AD 70. This ties in with 7 heads 220 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:50,240 pictured here in Revelation told in Revelation 17 verse nine that 221 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:53,880 these are seven hills. In the context of the time of 222 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:56,920 John's writing. Many suggest that Rome is in 223 00:14:56,920 --> 00:15:00,680 mind here being that it was built on seven hills and quite 224 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:04,680 known. 10 horns are mentioned in the verses that we read, 225 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:11,200 explained in Revelation 17 verse 12 as 10 kings, 10 crowns are 226 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:15,200 mentioned, diadems, power that they're ruling with and that 227 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:17,880 these are given over to this Antichrist. 228 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:22,480 And so the idea when combining all of those aspects together in 229 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:26,400 a quick summation is this that the Antichrist will arise 230 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:31,800 somehow future being the leader of a revived Roman Empire, some 231 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:35,720 sort of 10 confederate Eurocentric state of entity, 232 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:40,240 almost like a a United Nations of some sort condensed down into 233 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:42,840 10 kind of European conglomerations. 234 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:47,360 That in Daniel 7 verse 23, we read Kingdom on earth, which 235 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:50,360 shall be different from all other kingdoms and shall devour 236 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:53,160 the whole earth, trample it and break it in pieces. 237 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:57,960 So the idea of the beast mentioned in Revelation is that 238 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:02,520 as Antichrist, he will accomplish what all other kings 239 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:07,760 of this world's empires dreamed of and rule the whole world. 240 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:13,760 A1 world leader. It sounds a lot like what the 241 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:15,760 world is crying out for right now. 242 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:20,240 In the day and age in which we live, there's seemingly a vacuum 243 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:24,480 of, of statesman, of politicians, of people in 244 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:28,360 government, in, in political positions of power that are able 245 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:31,160 to, to lead with any clout. I mean, we have to look at our 246 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:35,200 own Prime Minister this week and the nonsensical decisions and 247 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:38,640 statements that that he has made, you know, saying one thing 248 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:42,080 and contradictory the next day. And you just look and, and the 249 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:45,880 world, they're, they're crying out for someone who is able to 250 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:48,400 have some sense of authority and conviction. 251 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:53,760 This will be that man. Daniel 9, verse 27. 252 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:56,960 There's a little bit more and as he first comes onto the scene, 253 00:16:56,960 --> 00:17:01,240 I'll read that verse in a moment that he comes and and seems to 254 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:03,400 solve that which the world is crying for. 255 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:07,599 Yes, finally a leader who is who is making things happen. 256 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:11,880 Finally a leader who is able to solve the Middle East crisis and 257 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:15,480 and bring peace in this situation and and figure out 258 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:18,560 sort of the economic situations that are going on in this world. 259 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:23,280 But Daniel 927 says he shall confirm a covenant with many for 260 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:27,040 one week. That time frame in the book of 261 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:30,840 Daniel is in reference to A7 year period of time. 262 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:35,400 But in the middle of the week, halfway through, he shall bring 263 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:38,240 an end to sacrifice and offering, speaking in reference 264 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:40,680 to a future yet to be built temple. 265 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:46,240 And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate 266 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:49,600 even until the consummation which is determined is poured 267 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:52,680 out on the desolate. So the idea is that he will 268 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:56,520 usher in a a peace treaty agreement, but halfway through 269 00:17:56,520 --> 00:18:00,720 break it and announce himself and reveal himself to be the 270 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:05,840 counterfeit that he is. Daniel 11 verse 36 to 37 puts it 271 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:08,720 this way. Then the king shall do according 272 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:12,520 to his own will. He shall exalt and magnify 273 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:17,040 himself above every God, shall speak blasphemies against the 274 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:20,600 God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been 275 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:23,160 accomplished. For what has been determined 276 00:18:23,360 --> 00:18:26,480 shall be done. So God ultimately is behind 277 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:30,120 allowing all of this. He shall, verse 37, regard 278 00:18:30,120 --> 00:18:33,320 neither the God of his Father's, nor the desire of women, nor 279 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:36,680 regard any God, for He shall exalt Himself above them all. 280 00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:44,000 He desires to be worshipped. Revelation 13, verse three. 281 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:50,240 He receives the world's wonder. Somehow at some point it seems 282 00:18:50,240 --> 00:18:53,920 to indicate during the Antichrist reign that He will 283 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:58,040 die, or some kind of an assassination attempt might be 284 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:01,760 made against him or some kind of other upheaval seeking to 285 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:04,960 disrupt his his reign. But he'll be he'll be killed. 286 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:06,800 It seems to indicate a deadly wound. 287 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:10,040 It says mortally wounded in verse 3. 288 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:16,840 And seemingly as the world watches and mourns the death of 289 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:20,640 this very popular man, a miraculous thing it seems 290 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:23,480 happens. This dead man comes back from 291 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:27,440 the dead. He experiences a a resurrection 292 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:31,120 of sorts. Remember, he's an imitator. 293 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:37,000 It sounds familiar, doesn't it? Revelation 134HE receives the 294 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:39,280 world's worship as a consequence of this. 295 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:44,360 Whether this resurrection is real or just a bit of satanic 296 00:19:44,360 --> 00:19:46,760 sleight of hand that's taken place, we don't know. 297 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:49,080 I mean, there's all sorts of things that artificial 298 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:51,600 intelligence can conjure up and and do. 299 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:55,280 I was playing around just yesterday with some photos of 300 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:59,800 ours that some AI generator was able to turn into video. 301 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:03,680 An altar and you know, my face turned into someone else's in 302 00:20:03,680 --> 00:20:07,360 some way and fashion, but it was just instantaneous like that. 303 00:20:07,360 --> 00:20:10,640 Who knows, maybe the technology could be there to, to conjure up 304 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:13,360 some kind of a thing like that to make it look like he was dead 305 00:20:13,360 --> 00:20:16,440 and is now alive. I seem to think it to be more 306 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:19,320 akin to the fact that he's probably going to be killed and 307 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:23,400 come back, but this miraculous thing happens and, and people 308 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:26,920 will worship him. They'll actually give him their 309 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:32,080 worship. Verse 8, Revelation 13 kind of 310 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:35,640 consolidated that as well. All who dwell on the earth will 311 00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:40,080 worship him, it says. And then in verses 5 to 6 of 312 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:44,040 what we read in Revelation 13, he's speaking these unbelievable 313 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:50,600 words of blasphemy against God, slandering anything and anyone 314 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:56,400 associated with God, making war on anyone, claiming allegiance 315 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:00,320 to be connected to God in verse 7 in some way. 316 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:06,160 We read on in the next part of the chapter here that the 317 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:09,120 Antichrist won't be functioning alone. 318 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:13,440 We're about to read of his sidekick, verse 11. 319 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:17,400 And then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and 320 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:22,560 he had two horns like a lamb, and spoke like a dragon. 321 00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:27,280 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in 322 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:29,880 his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it 323 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:32,840 to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed. 324 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:37,520 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down 325 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:39,520 from heaven on the earth in the side of man. 326 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:42,960 Verse 13. And he deceives those who dwell 327 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:46,200 on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in 328 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:49,280 the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to 329 00:21:49,280 --> 00:21:52,360 make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and 330 00:21:52,360 --> 00:21:55,120 lived. He was granted power to give 331 00:21:55,120 --> 00:21:57,520 breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the 332 00:21:57,520 --> 00:22:00,680 beast should both speak. And 'cause as many as would not 333 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:02,760 worship the image of the beast to be killed. 334 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:07,640 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and 335 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:10,840 slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their 336 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:16,080 foreheads, and that no one verse 17 May buy or sell except one 337 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:20,200 who has the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his 338 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:23,160 name. Here is wisdom, verse 18. 339 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:26,320 Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the 340 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:28,480 beast, for it is the number of a man. 341 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:36,600 His number is 666. Batman has Robin, Lone Ranger, 342 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:41,800 Tonto, the Dynamic Duo of the Antichrist and the false Prophet 343 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:46,040 here, and you add Satan to the mix and there's this very much 344 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:51,360 unholy Trinity going on. Satan, the imitator, the copier, 345 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:55,280 the counterfeit. Revelation 13 describes some 346 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:59,680 very dark times in which we've read during what I believe to be 347 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:03,480 the Tribulation period, the Great Tribulation, the time of 348 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:08,040 Jacob's wrath as we read of it. And here we see that Antichrist 349 00:23:08,040 --> 00:23:13,720 does not work alone. This false prophet almost like a 350 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:17,760 spiritual sidekick alongside and he promotes the agenda of the 351 00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:20,680 Antichrist. Where Antichrist presents as a a 352 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:24,760 political military leader. This guy is more of a religious 353 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:27,960 leader, spiritual guy. How so? 354 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:30,880 We're we're the first beast. Antichrist is mentioned as 355 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:34,720 ominous powerful with 7 heads, 10 horns and 10 crowns. 356 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:38,000 Speaking of vast political power and kingdoms behind that, the 357 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:43,560 second beast we just read of is mentioned more of a a lamb with 358 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:47,480 two horns. Lambs often synonymous with 359 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:51,440 religious sacrifice, evoking religious connotations and and 360 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:54,760 thus the idea of a religious leader emerges. 361 00:23:55,560 --> 00:24:00,160 But he looks like a lamb and talks like a dragon, speaks with 362 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:04,320 the voice of Satan and speaking words that sound great and 363 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:07,520 glorious and wonderful. But these will be the words of 364 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:11,160 Satan. Think of those images that 365 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:14,360 you've seen on TV of of of Hitler at his height of 366 00:24:14,360 --> 00:24:19,000 popularity of words spoken in the euphoria going with it, but 367 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:21,600 but the the demonic presence behind that. 368 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:26,160 Additionally, it seems that this this other beast is able to 369 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:30,680 perform miracles and signs this prophet verse 13, including fire 370 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:34,040 from heaven. It says and that's a good time 371 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:37,080 for you and I to be reminded of this fact that miracles do not 372 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:39,640 necessarily always come from God. 373 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:44,400 Jesus spoke of this in Matthew 24 verse 24. 374 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:49,600 He said for false Christs and false prophets will rise and 375 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:54,960 show what great signs and wonders for what purpose to 376 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:59,520 deceive, if possible, even the elect Jesus words. 377 00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:04,040 Paul spoke of this in Second Thessalonians chapter 2, that 378 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:06,920 the coming of the lawless 1 is according to the working of 379 00:25:07,120 --> 00:25:12,280 Satan with all power, with all signs and lying wonders 380 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:19,600 Revelation 1314 to 15. We read of it and it's sort of a 381 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:24,600 reminder of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel chapter 3, isn't it, of 382 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:29,760 him and, and just this kind of ego and, and power there that's, 383 00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:33,640 that's given to him and, and there's a linkage there and it 384 00:25:33,640 --> 00:25:36,600 builds on and versus 16 through to 18. 385 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:40,120 We read the conclusion of it, how it just has this, this 386 00:25:40,120 --> 00:25:43,720 dominion and, and sets this capacity where people are 387 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:46,800 restricted in whether they're able to buy or sell unless they 388 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:54,000 receive his mark. If you're to Google search 666, 389 00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:58,520 you get over 559,000,000 results. 390 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:04,640 You'll probably find over 559,000,000 different ideas of 391 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:09,320 what 666 means. I don't think that we can answer 392 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:13,000 this definitively. It conjures all sorts of 393 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:15,920 hysteria. Certainly you know, people 394 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:19,000 sometimes will see a number plate 666 and freak out on the 395 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:22,880 road or a phone number with six six in it. 396 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:26,880 I ain't ringing that number. Or purchase something that comes 397 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:31,800 to $6.66 and they freak out. And you know, for hundreds of 398 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:35,640 years people have been trying to figure out based on verse 18, 399 00:26:36,120 --> 00:26:41,440 who and what by assigning numerical value to letters and 400 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:45,240 so on. In a general sense, I understand 401 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:49,160 where that's come from. There are numerical aspects to 402 00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:53,280 the Scriptures and significance in the numbers. 6 is the number 403 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:57,960 of man. Mankind was made on the 6th day. 404 00:26:59,280 --> 00:27:03,960 Repetition in the Bible often spoke of emphasis. 405 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:08,600 That's why it says holy, holy, holy in reference to God. 406 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:15,240 And to emphasise 666 emphasises the absolute failure and 407 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:18,280 imperfection of mankind. And, and think about 408 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:21,280 specifically the Antichrist and what I started this sermon with, 409 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:28,320 that Satan is always trying to imitate God, that mankind's best 410 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:33,600 efforts, even empowered by the enemy, Satan pales in comparison 411 00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:37,040 to the perfection that is God and Jesus Christ. 412 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:41,320 The idea here is that the Antichrist introduces some kind 413 00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:44,800 of a cashless society controlling economics. 414 00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:48,960 People can't buy or sell unless they have the mark of the beast. 415 00:27:50,120 --> 00:27:53,040 Can you imagine a scenario like that in our time? 416 00:27:53,680 --> 00:28:02,240 Yes, 40 years ago it seemed implausible the way that society 417 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:04,720 is trending, especially since COVID. 418 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:09,400 You know that we were recently visiting in California and there 419 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:13,200 are certain places that still, what are we now five years away 420 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:15,160 from? When the intensity of COVID and 421 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:17,800 lockdowns and shutdowns happened, They were using the 422 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:23,000 excuse of COVID to not allow me to pay with cash while we were 423 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:29,240 there. We see all sorts of government 424 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:32,920 control that are now part and parcel of society and the 425 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:36,080 overreach of totalitarian governments and the decisions 426 00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:39,320 that they're making. So with much economic 427 00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:42,360 uncertainty today, it seems very feasible and realistic that 428 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:47,240 people will buy into the lie and the selling of this messaging by 429 00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:49,200 the Antichrist and his false prophet. 430 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:53,400 That people worried about theft, worried about transactions in 431 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:56,440 different currencies, about people stealing their identity 432 00:28:56,440 --> 00:28:59,640 in the day and age of artificial intelligence and deep fakes and 433 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:01,960 all of that. And what an inconvenience it is 434 00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:05,880 having those details stolen and, and something happening. 435 00:29:05,880 --> 00:29:07,160 So. Well, it makes sense. 436 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:08,800 Yeah. I'll receive that mark if it 437 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:11,840 means that I can conveniently buy and sell and function and 438 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:15,440 and work and all of that. I think our world is ready to 439 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:20,240 embrace an idea like this today on the way to when all of this 440 00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:23,240 is going to be a not too distant reality. 441 00:29:26,640 --> 00:29:29,880 So this has been a bit of a fly by shooting of this chapter 442 00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:31,240 tonight with the time that we've got. 443 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:36,560 But I have no idea who the Antichrist will be or who they 444 00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:41,200 might be nor the, you know, the the names and the places and 445 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:45,640 necessarily their their originality and and neither does 446 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:48,120 anyone else. I think it's a bit of a waste of 447 00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:51,760 time to kind of speculate the the fun it might be sometimes, 448 00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:55,800 you know, guesses have ranged over the years from Nero and 449 00:29:55,800 --> 00:29:58,600 that certainly made sense in the time of the rioting and the 450 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:03,520 other Roman Empire emperor since seems every Pope that comes out 451 00:30:04,360 --> 00:30:08,840 could lay claim to that Hitler, certainly Stalin, Gorbachev, 452 00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:12,400 remember him, the Russian leader with the the birthmark on his 453 00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:14,640 forehead. Just about every U.S. 454 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:18,840 President has been claimed as that and some even claim the the 455 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:21,920 future prophetic Mahdi of the Islamic prophecies. 456 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:25,160 But over the years people have come up with all kinds of 457 00:30:25,160 --> 00:30:27,600 theories. So here's what I think on this. 458 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:33,320 Spend our time focusing on Jesus the Christ. 459 00:30:34,920 --> 00:30:38,880 He's the real deal. He's the genuine. 460 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:42,560 He's the authentic, not Antichrist. 461 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:45,720 The fake, the copy, the imitator, the deception. 462 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:51,480 Many, many years ago when I was working throughout university 463 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:56,840 and taking a job with a supermarket chain that would 464 00:30:56,840 --> 00:31:02,200 have us be very familiar with cash, touching it as part of our 465 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:05,960 training and and knowing it. So that then when a counterfeit 466 00:31:05,960 --> 00:31:09,760 came across our hands and they did, we would know from our 467 00:31:09,760 --> 00:31:12,840 familiarity with the genuine, with the real, that there was 468 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:17,000 something amiss with this fake. Not only did it look different, 469 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:20,160 but it it to to the touch was different. 470 00:31:20,160 --> 00:31:22,840 And there were subtleties because we're so familiar with 471 00:31:22,840 --> 00:31:26,280 the genuine. So that's our commendation. 472 00:31:26,280 --> 00:31:28,720 You know of these events that we've read off tonight. 473 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:31,400 Jesus said this. When these things begin to 474 00:31:31,400 --> 00:31:35,840 happen, look up, lift up your heads. 475 00:31:36,080 --> 00:31:38,920 Why? Because your redemption draws 476 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:41,560 near. That's in Luke 21 verse 28. 477 00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:47,320 You didn't say this when they're happening, look up, but when 478 00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:51,280 they begin. That's just another reason why 479 00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:55,920 we we hold to more of a pre true premillennial view here in our 480 00:31:55,920 --> 00:31:58,640 understanding of in unpacking revelation. 481 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:01,960 And we're not in the beginning of this yet that we're reading 482 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:04,000 of, but we're certainly seeing the foreshocks. 483 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:07,120 We're seeing how society's trending and going. 484 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:09,480 It's time then for you and I to what? 485 00:32:09,720 --> 00:32:14,120 Look up. Look to Jesus who is calling us 486 00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:18,680 home very, very soon in the twinkling of an eye to be 487 00:32:18,680 --> 00:32:24,280 snatched up. Jesus said in John 14 that I go 488 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:26,200 and I go to prepare a place for you. 489 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:30,200 He said in the way that you see me go, I will return, but when I 490 00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:35,160 return, I come back to take you to be with me, that you will be 491 00:32:35,160 --> 00:32:39,680 with me forevermore. John 14 verses one to three. 492 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:42,480 You can have a look at that to get the exact wording of that. 493 00:32:42,920 --> 00:32:46,360 But soon and very soon, Jesus is calling you and I home. 494 00:32:46,560 --> 00:32:51,600 Let's have Jesus the Christ be our focus so that when the real 495 00:32:51,880 --> 00:32:56,440 deal is questioned, or is counterfeited, or is copied, or 496 00:32:56,440 --> 00:33:00,680 is imitated, we would not be deceived, but that we would know 497 00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:01,960 Jesus the Christ.