Antichrist, Armageddon, and the Second Coming

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Let's grab our Bibles and turn the two passages together to be sharing some thoughts with you out of Revelation 13 and also John 14.

The title of my messages and I Christ Armageddon and the second coming.

Let's pray Lord we ask you to speak to us now as we open your word. We believe it's alive it's powerful it's life changing and it's true. Your Bible, your book predicts the future and so we can look at what is about to happen and know that it's all in your hand so speak to us from Scripture, we pray in Jesus name we ask it in men question.

Do you like puzzles I don't. I have no interest in puzzles.

I have no desire to get a puzzle out and put it back together again friendly to me it seems a go waste the time.

In contrast to me. My wife Kathy loves puzzles of were walking along that she sees a puzzle on a table. She'll sit down and start putting it together. Either I don't understand that but you know when we look at the events of the last days of the end times like what's gonna happen when it can be like a puzzle we hear terms like tribulation. Abomination of desolation antichrist rapture second coming and we think.

I have no idea how this all fits together will that's what I want to talk to you about, but let me just cut to the chase and say this I read the last page of the Bible and we win in the end because God has it all under control.

But you see the Bible is the one book that dares to predict the future not want, not twice, but hundreds of times with 100% accuracy. God lives in the eternal realm. Therefore, he can look at the past and see it with clarity. But if you look at the future and see it in the same way. I can even remember what happened to be six months ago. I forget the details but the Lord sees at all is a continuum. So when the Lord tells us what is going to happen is not like God is going out on a limb and taking a risk he just telling us what the facts are, therefore you can trust the Bible when we come to this subject of the end times or the last days.

Now some would say you know it's all really important to study Bible prophecy. No one can figure it out anyway.

Not true. I think God wants us to understand it. In fact, it is not God's desire to conceal, but to reveal the very word Revelation that will look at this book in the moment needs unveiling God wants us to understand what's happening and I might add in the book of Revelation there is a special blessing promised Revelation 132. The person who reads shears and keeps the words that are written in it. So if you want to be blessed.

It's a good thing that you're hearing me right now because Ruben Reed were getting here hopefully and then keep the words that are written in this book. The book of Revelation and so this is something that we need to know more about.

Listen, God does not give us Bible prophecy to scare us.

He gives it to prepare us when we say it again, we don't read these words about the end times. So were scared but rather so were prepare. Let me just share a few things before we dig in number one. Your future is bright. If you're a follower of Jesus Christ. Your future is bright. If you're a Christian, your best days are still ahead of you.

Why, because heaven is the future destination of every follower of Jesus, and if you don't know if you're going to heaven yet. I'll tell you how in a few moments that I love the promise God gives to the nation Israel, and I think in principle, it applies to every believer when he says Jeremiah 2911. I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. No matter what you're going through right now. God has a future and a hope set out for you. So remember that God loves you.

Your future is bright and your future is good God can even see bad things, and bring good despite them. We know that the Bible says that he can cause all things to work together for good to those that love him. Another called according to his purpose. Listen this coronavirus has been very hard on more than 100,000 people have tragically lost their lives to it in the United States of America. Our economy has been shut down.

People are depressed and filled with anxiety but were starting to open up again but having said all that good can come. Despite the coronavirus one thing that is very good is seen thousands of people come to believe in Jesus Christ, like we have seen ^ Harvest at Home. So God can take the hardships you're going through and be glorified through them and I would also add your future as promised to you by God is one thing you can know about the Lord.

He keeps his promises way maker promise keeper light in the darkness. That's who God is, he will keep his promises that he is made to you. There are thousands of promises that God makes to his people in the Bible.

It's a little bit like gift cards Gemini unused gift cards in a drawer somewhere.

I do you know people give me give cards to random places like liver World War I when I go to use a gift card for live world know that I made that one up, but sometimes places you don't frequent you have a gift card for and there are billions of dollars of gift cards that are unused.

Sitting in the drawers and wallet send cards of people all around the United States and you can be the way with the promises of God. We have thousands of promises that are left unclaimed. I encourage you to claim the promises and here's a big one.

The Lord himself. His promise that he will return again.

John 14 Jesus says this. Let not your heart be troubled you believe in God believe also in me.

In my father's house are many mansions ever were not toy would've told you. I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again says Jesus, I will come again and receive you on the myself, that where I am, you may be also. And where I go you know the way you know so when Jesus says let not your heart be troubled. It's a word that can be translated agitated or stressed out. So Jesus is saying listen to me stressed out people I'm coming back again and I keep my promises as the Bible reminds us, don't panic. It's organic are to the Bible doesn't say that, but the ideas God is in control. So don't worry. Don't freak out.

The Lord is going to come back at the appointed moment know what a little series here on the last days and I asked the question of my last message is the coronavirus a sign of the end times in a broad since the answer to that question is yes. What we see happening around us today without modern day flag or pandemic like COBIT 19 is a fulfillment of an end time prophecy yes, but it's more of the foreshadowing of what is that, later you might say that coronavirus and other signs of the times happening around us at the moment are setting the stage for the end times listen to this. I pointed this out. My last message. The next event of the prophetic calendar is the rapture of the church and that is when the Lord comes for his people and were caught up in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye to meet the Lord in the air.

That is a moment when we received our new resurrection bodies. That is a moment when we are reunited with loved ones who have died in faith, and have preceded us to have. So I told you that there's a lot of events that we may not understand there's a chronology to them.

Here's a graphic to illustrate what I'm talking about again the next event is the rapture of the church following the rapture. We have this mysterious character than to be talking about a bit in this message that we know is the antichrist is also called the beast is also called the son of perdition.

He inaugurates a seven-year period of time called the great tribulation. Antichrist initially emerges on the scene as man of peace Amen with global solutions but at the halfway point of the tribulation.

He reveals his true colors and then for the remainder of the tribulation. We have a lot of amazing things happening, including God's judgment falling on the earth. Everything culminates in what we call the battle of Armageddon in the valley of my ghetto and that is when the second coming of Christ takes place. He returns to the earth to establish his kingdom.

Following the second coming of Christ, we have the millennium millennium is a word that simply means 1000. There is a 1000 year reign of Christ and finally we have the new Jerusalem, coming down to the earth and effectively heaven and earth become one and I'll talk about that more my message next time that I'm titling, there's a New World coming, so let's dive into this mysterious character. Character the antichrist who is he exactly what first of all, he is sent by Satan himself.

He is an imitator. Consider this the word and talk or the prefix anti-not only means against and certainly the antichrist is against Christ but also also means instead up. He's a false Christ. Remember in Matthew 24 is Jesus is answering the question what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age. He said many will come in my name, saying, I am he. I am the Messiah that to the antichrist is, he's a false Messiah and some will even believe he is the Messiah. He's a cheap imitation.

There's always cheap imitations out there, aren't there something is good will always be the imitators I have a lot of people that pretend to be me on social media. I see fake Greg Laurie, Facebook pages, fake Greg Laurie Instagram pages fake Greg Laurie a twitter accounts and and what these people do is they'll go out as me.

Take photos off of my accounts and act like there me and then the bill of establish a dialogue with people and then start soliciting money or other things always look for the blue check to make sure it's really me but there's always that big persons out there. The antichrist is a fake Jesus Christ.

Did you hear the story about the guy who bought his wife a beautiful diamond ring for Christmas. A friend has said while you bought her a diamond ring that she wanted one of those 40 four-wheel-drive vehicles in this friend said while she did but where my going to find a fake G yet it anyway. Okay so antichrist is a false Christ in imitation of the real Jesus just as God has his son Jesus, the devil, and in fact has his son as well.

Antichrist will be history's vilest embodiment of sin and rebellion. If you were sending out fieldwork worse than Joseph Stalin worsened Mel say tongue worse than any of the Kilby and twirled by Satan himself know he's not can it be what you may expect pathologies going to be dressed head to toe in black with glowing red eyes and the Darth Vader theme song playing behind him when he walks into her room will be the very opposite Kilby swab will be intelligent, charming, engaging magnetic charismatic listen to this you can this solve the Middle East peace puzzle and actually get the Arab nations and the Jewish people to live together in harmony for a short period of time.

Kilby declared the greatest peacemaker of all time. The probably give him the Nobel peace prize but then he's going to do something that will really surprise many. He will rebuild the Jewish temple. So the third temple will finally be built-in. This brings us to the middle of this time we call the tribulation. Because then antichrist is going to do what is called the abomination of desolation by the way, when Jesus talks about the Matthew 24 he says when you see the abomination of desolation. Let the reader understand see again. God wants us to understand Bible prophecy because there's a detail added let the reader understand basically the antichrist is going to erect an image of himself in the rebuilt Temple and the men worship from the people. So now he's showing who he really is. No, it's an interesting thing about antichrist U.S. News & World Report magazine article pointed out that 49% of Americans believe there will be in antichrist sometime in the future, but Christians just Americans.

Almost half of Americans think there will be an antichrist. 19% of Americans polled believe the antichrist is alive right now.

Now I know what some of your thinking Greg.

Why do we need to talk about Jim why even give a passing thought to someone is evil is the antichrist answer because there are over 100 passages in the Bible that detail the career nationality, character kingdom and final doom of antichrist. He is discussed at length in the book of Daniel and the book of Thessalonians, and in the book of Revelation. So we need to understand what his agenda is and what he is attempting to do but just remember this is dark as this period of time will be. God is sovereign over all history, world history is his story. Let me say it another way, history is his story. So God is sovereign and God is in control and you do not have to be afraid. All right, let's read a little bit about this curious character called antichrist and Revelation 13 verse one John writes no John was banished to the island of Patmos of her preaching the gospel. Jesus came to him and gave him a vision. It's as though John was put into a spiritual time machine and catapulted into the future.

I don't know if it was a DeLorean or not. But seriously, he saw the future and he describes what he saw in this great book. Revelation writes in Revelation 13, verse one. I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and 10 horns, and on his horns 10 crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name another beast I saw was like a leopard's feet were like the feet of a bear's mouth was like the mouth of a lion and the dragon gave him his power, throne and great authority. And I saw one of his heads words mortally wounded in his deadly wound was healed. In all the world marveled and followed the beast, and they worship the dragon who gave authority to the beast, and they worship the beast same who was like the beast, and who will make war with While interesting see. So here we have the antichrist emerging and he is again defying God and attempting to take the place of Christ, and it says in verse 20 is a blasphemous name will be a great orator a great communicator but he's coming in opposition to God. Probably not at first.

At first, still seem very consolatory at first, still seem like a wonderful person but then his true agenda will be revealed, and he will specifically target followers of Jesus Christ. Revelation 13 seven says it was granted to him to make war with the saints, and do over come the and he also is going to dominate the globe are Revelation 13 seven says authority was given to him over every tribe and tongue and nation. But again, I emphasize the way he. People is through peace. The Bible says, through peace, he will deceive many. But then people realize how evil he actually is. He'll be the devils son is already on it out read an interesting article online the other day about the drummer for the France band death Angel. The man's name is Will Carroll and the God covert, 19, so his tour was canceled and he was sent to the hospital and he was put into a medically induced coma. So while he was in the coma of this drummer for this rock band headed vision of how the song himself in hell being tormented back when he woke up from his coma.

He asked the nurse he had tubes connected to Yasser my still in hell and after this harrowing experience. He came to this conclusion and I quote, as for my personal life and the experience of what I went through. I don't think Satan is quite as cool as I used to. You have saved is not cool antichrist isn't cool there evil. I think sometimes in life we we get pulled into evil things because the devil is very good at packaging. This wears he's great at making bad things look good is also adept at making good things seem that and so we sort of by what he's offering and we get pulled into it hook line and sinker and then choose us up and he spits us out all look how exciting drugs can look drinking to look partying can look sexual experimentation can look then fast forward a few years and you have an addict you have an alcoholic you of a person with some kind of venereal disease or other issues, and they realize how empty it all is, and that's what the world is going to realize antichrist will come as the greatest thing since sliced bread.

And then he'll show who we really is and maybe some of you have been misled by the devil you been taken advantage of. He's chewed you up and spit you out. You come to the end of your rope or someone watching me right now that is even thought about taking their own life there someone watching me right now was attempted to take their own life and I want you to know no matter how bad things are for you right now there is a God in heaven who loves you and the Lord is an expert at putting broken things back together and I'll tell you how to come into a relationship with him and just a few moments. Another thing I would point out antichrist will establish global control through a cashless society.

Revelation 13 seven says no one will be able to buy or sell, except the one was a mark in the name of the beast.

And this is the number of his name, let him that is understanding calculate the number of the beast Ritz a number of a man and it's 666 just about everybody understands this number or at least they know of this number. I don't think they understand it, but this is the mark of the beast.

If you Google the number 666 you'll find 543 million results. Probably 543 million ideas of what it all means.

But here's what the Scripture is saying antichrist will introduce a cashless society requiring people to take a mark. No one will be able to buy or sell without this mark know there are some alarming trends happening in tech right now because some the safe is this going to be the mark of the beast with all of our track and trace technology but we know where people are in controlling their lives in how you could do commerce and transactions exclusively online.

Now it in the rise of globalism we can see the four socks of it, but let me emphasize again, don't waste your time looking for the antichrist emphatically at this if you have figured out who the antichrist is that's bad news because he can be revealed until the church is removed. So if you know the antichrist is newsflash you just miss the rapture. So let's not waste our time pursuing these things. These are future events. The mark's future.

It's not in our past and it's not yet in our present, it will be a visible literal mark that will be on the right hand or forehead and one will have to declare their allegiance to the antichrist to receive it.

You would not get it accidentally back the Bible even tells us in Revelation that there is an angel warning people not to take the mark of the beast, and so all of this culminates as great tribulation. Let's go back to our graph again. Everything was building up in the time of the tribulation, the lesser seven years, to the battles of Armageddon and this is what happens next. Revelation 19 verses 11 to 14 John writes I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse and he that sat on him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.

His eyes were like a flame of fire known his head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one can name except himself. And he was clothed with a robe dipped in blood in his name is called the word of God and the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed him on white horses.

This is the description of the second coming of Jesus Christ. Since folks is error horse, one right. The Lord is coming back to planet earth to establish his kingdom and everyone will know. So some amounts it was that the second coming, or just a really bad storm. Ono you'll know it's a second coming. Jesus said, as the lightning shines from the east to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be the return of Jesus Christ will be accompanied by sadness and weeping. Yes, it's a happy day for heaven but it's a sad day for earth. Specifically, Israel will mourn as they realize Jesus was the Messiah all along. Zechariah 1210 says Allport, a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David on on the people of Jerusalem and the look on him whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son would die him they had pierced to remember Jesus died by being crucified on a cross all the wrongs in the world are going to be made right. Justice will finally be meted out. Now I think it's very important stop for a moment and contrast the rapture and the second coming, because sometimes people confuse these two events so let me put them side-by-side and explain it.

The rapture is when Jesus comes before judgment, the second coming is when he returns with judgment in the rapture. He comes as a thief in the night and the second coming every I will see him the rapture he comes for his people. In the second coming.

He returns again with his people. I've got good news for you. Maybe some of you will wish you could take a trip to Israel when you're going to have that holy land experience, but you're not going to do it in a bus you're going to do it with the Lord himself because we read that he returns with these Army were told over in June 14 that the Lord will come with 10,000s of his saints to execute judgment. Who are these sayings that return with Christ back to the earth.

The answer is Colossians 3 it says, when Christ is our life, shall appear, then we shall appear with him in glory. Good news folks were coming back and riding horses to earn about a preacher, the got a horse but instead of using secular terms like giddyup and whoa he decided to substitute. Praise the Lord for giddyup and hallelujah for well so the preacher got this horse and he said, praise the Lord horse trotted off. Praise the Lord he said again now the horse is in a full gallop.

Praise the Lord that horses going at full steam fees over the great time, but he realizes the horse is headed to the edge of a cliff. The bridge is a weight once onward. 010 horses still going.

Oh no, thank you Jesus horses getting toward the edge of the clipped up hallelujah and the worst stops right at the edge of the cliff.

A few little pebbles are going over the side.

The preacher wipes his face insists, praise the Lord went over the side you get the joke.

Okay.

But seriously, though, we're going to come back with. This is very exciting.

I want you to think about the first coming of our Lord in the second coming of our Lord. When Jesus first came of course he was a little baby wrapped in strips of cloth in the manger when he comes back again.

He'll be clothed royally in a robe dipped in blood at his first coming. He was surrounded by animals and shepherds at his second coming will be accompanied by saints and angels at his first coming the door. The end was close to him at his second coming, the door of the heavens will be open to him in the first coming. He was the Lamb of God, taking away the sins of the world and the second coming.

He's a ferocious lion of the tribe of Judah, bringing judgment to the earth, and this is that moment that the Bible speaks of when it says every eye will see, and every tongue will confess and every knee will bow saying Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the father summation. Jesus is coming member when we were kids and we play hide and seek, you would count to 20. Then he would shout out, ready or not here I come. And he would go look for other people Lord is effectively saying ready or not here I come. Let me ask you, are you ready one of Jesus came back today know he would not come back in the second coming today because, as we already discovered that's at the end of the tribulation. Right, but he could come in the rapture of the church for his followers today tonight tomorrow. Would you be ready would you be left behind. That is entirely up to you. You see, as I said before, you will either get right or get left. I don't mean the politically I think you're right. You will either get right with God or you will be left behind some of you have chased after the things this world offers and you ended up so empty you know it's interesting antichrists is not just speaking of a figure, a man that will come on the scene with the Bible talks about those who are antichrists in their lifestyles. These are people that don't have time for Jesus Christ.

Are these are our people to put other things or people in the place of Jesus Christ. So here's a choice before you. You were either following Jesus Christ or Antichrist.

Jesus said your for me or against me. When I heard those words years ago as a young teenager. I looked around at the Christians that I was with in the little Bible study on the front lawn of my high school campus in the preacher, who is name Lonnie said you're either for Jesus or against them look of the other kids and I thought well I'm not one of them send me that I'm against God was a very frightening thought to me and I was but that was also the day I gave my life to Jesus. And when I say keep my like the Jesus I simply mean that was a day I said to God. I believe what I read on what I know I want to know you come in the my life and he did come of your life as well. The beginning of this message. I talked about puzzles I talked about how my light wife likes to put them together right so one day she was putting the puzzle together and it was completed and I was upstairs and she yells out Greg had said what she said I missing a piece of the puzzle, help me find it.

So I came downstairs and sure enough she had completed this entire puzzle and there was one piece missing door on her hands and knees were crawling around on the floor trying to find that we finally found it under the chair. The missing piece and she put it in place.

Life can be like that you check all the boxes you reach all your goals if I just complete my education.

I know I'll be happy in this they will apply. If I just get that dream job. I know I'll be happy well if I just find the right person to marry. I know I'll be happy.

That is if I get to find another person to marry. I know I'll be happy what we had kids. I would complete us all if I could retire. That would be the ultimate goal and all and you go in life never quite finding what you're looking for. It's like a puzzle you're putting together, and guess what, there's a piece missing but it's not under a chair. It's in the hand of God.

God holds the missing piece and you know what it is and we restated you know who it is it's Jesus, that's what you're looking for that. So you want. That is who you need Jesus Christ coming into your life and for giving you of your sin. Yes, he was born in a manger in Bethlehem, but why so we could go shopping give gifts to each other know he was born to die, that we might live that little baby came on rescue mission from heaven to go to a cross and died for your sin in mind than to rise again from the dead and the promises will come again, I ask you right now. Have you asked him to come into your life. See, there was no room for him in the end.

I wonder if there's room for him in your heart. I wonder if there's room for him in your life you can have a relationship with God. Listen folks, we live in a scary world and it's going to get worse and it's going to get darker.

But if you up if you of your faith in Jesus Christ. You do not have to be afraid. Remember, Jesus said, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You believe in God believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions that were not so I would've told you if I go I'll come again and receive you one of myself and where I go you know in the way you know Thomas, one of his disciples was there and he said we don't know where you're going and we don't know the way.

And Jesus said in response.

I am the way the truth and the life and no man comes of the father, but by me.

The only way to get to heaven is through Jesus Christ, God's son, who died on the cross for you.

God son who stands at the door of your life right now and knocks it says if you hear his voice and open the door he will come in the moment were going to pray. I'm going to ask you what 3700 people did last weekend here at Harvest at Home would over 50,000 people have done in the last 10 or 11 weeks or so. I'm in a ask you to pray and ask Jesus to come into your life and after were done praying. I'm in a ask you to click that banner on your screen indicating that you prayed with me or call the number on your screen. But first we need to pray. So I'm a lead you in a prayer and if you want Christ to come of your life if you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want to know that you will go to heaven when you die if you want to be ready for the Lord's return. I want you to pray this prayer with me right now. You can print out loud if you like you can print quietly in your heart if you like but pray.

Jesus is just a prayer away. Pray this after me if you would, Lord Jesus, and know that I'm a sinner but I believe that you are the Savior who died on the cross for me, and rose again from the dead. Now I choose to follow you, Lord. From this moment forward. Thank you for sharing this prayer in answering this prayer in Jesus name I pray that