Saturday Jan 13,2024 - Who Is The Antichrist Part 1

Good evening and welcome to the All Things Fulfilled broadcast right here on the NOW Network. I'm William Bell. In a few short minutes, we will be underway with another lesson for you. But before we get started, let's talk about a few things that we'd like for you to know. Number one, we have a website at allthingsfulfilled.com. We encourage you to go there to find videos, audios, as well as blog posts that will help you in your understanding of the end time. In addition, we have a YouTube channel at All Things Fulfilled. That's youtube.com forward slash All Things Fulfilled. You can go there and you can watch any of the videos that you've previously seen, as well as others that are not published on the NOW Network. In addition, we encourage you to check out our mobile app, which you can get from the Google Play Store. Just download it and it's free and it will allow you to keep up with pretty much all of the media that we produce. And we encourage you once again to tune in every Saturday from 6.30 to 7 p.m. Central, from 7.30 to 8 p.m. Eastern for the All Things Fulfilled broadcast. Now we're going to get underway today and we're going to talk about who is the Antichrist. Who is the Antichrist from 1 John chapter 2 verses 18 and 19. And of course, this is a very, very important as well as controversial topic in terms of who is the Antichrist. As John said, little children, it is the last hour. And as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even so now there are many, many Antichrists who have come whereby we know that it is the last hour. Now there is much speculation that exists over who the Antichrist is in the text and epistles of John the Apostle. Many theories have been advanced that speak of political rulers, for example, even down to our own time. Some have claimed Mussolini, Stalin, Barack Hussein Obama, Donald Trump, and others were the Antichrist at some particular time. And no doubt they were claiming that such men were the Antichrist because in some way it would confirm their ideas of an imminent end time and events about to unfold right in front of our very eyes. Some still believe that, you know, those things are existing and are signs of what's going on in the world today because modern Israel or the modern Israeli state is constantly in the news. And with their erroneous claim to be the Israel of the Bible, along with their stated rejection of Jesus Christ as the Messiah, they are claimed to be the Antichrist of Scripture. You hear this a lot from many people. Now, as convenient as this speculative theory sounds, it is not true. The world is filled with people who reject Christ as the Messiah, who deny that he's come in the flesh and therefore would be just on that criteria alone considered Antichrist. And so for that reason, we're going to explain why they are not targeted, or at least we need to wonder why those who, outside of the modern state of Israel, who hold views that reject the claims of the Bible related to the Messiah, why they too are not considered Antichrist in the scope of these matters. And so our question is, who is the Antichrist? Now, let's talk about the right approach to the text. First of all, the correct approach to reading the text is to apply what we will call audience relevance. And what does that mean? That means that we must allow the Bible to speak initially to those to whom it was first written. In other words, it didn't just come in a valcum. It wasn't written in a valcum and it didn't just drop out of the sky yesterday so that it applies primarily to our generation and time. We cannot and must not assume that the Bible was written directly to us, even though we can understand that it's written for us. This is by far what leads most would-be interpreters to make erroneous claims about the Bible and teach things that are false, usually not by intention but ignorantly, as they may be under such persuasion. Now, you ask, how does audience relevance apply to the scriptures that speak of the Antichrist? First of all, we have to take into account that John wrote the epistles to the church located at Ephesus. They were not written to churches in your neighborhood or mine. So this is very, very important for us to understand. Secondly, we should combine that knowledge with the fact that John lived and wrote in the first century. So he's not walking around anywhere in the country today or anywhere in the world today talking about the Antichrist. This was written long, long, long ago. And because of that, we need to bring that perspective to the scriptures when we seek to interpret what is meant by the Antichrist. He was describing the situation on the ground at his time and not prophesying into the future of those living today. And that will be evident when we get down to the text. If we apply this approach, then we will definitely see a different picture and view of the Antichrist. Now, the importance of the temple and the eminent parousia in dating John's writings. Now, we often want to date John's writings simply by the statement of a man by the name of Irenaeus in the second century. However, if we look in the testament and really follow the statements that are mentioned there, we can see that there are lots of evidences for the time of the writing of the epistles of John as well as of the gospel. Now, we cannot prove that John's writings were beyond 70 AD, but a lot of people attempt to do that and they accept traditions that say that. But John speaks about the parousia, number one, which is the coming of Christ. And obviously many people, and we do admit that many people believe and teach that the coming of Christ is yet in our future. However, there's a growing segment who are now turning away from that concept, from that perspective. In first John, chapter two and verse 28, the scripture talks about the fact that Jesus would come and that's reference to his parousia because he says, and now little children abide in him, that when he appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming or at his parousia. And parousia just means the presence of the Lord. That's the statement or word that's used to talk about the coming of Christ, particularly what is commonly known as the second coming of Christ. Now, according to Matthew chapter 24, and the verse is three, the coming of the parousia, which means the presence, as we've said, of Christ would occur in the first century generation in connection with the fall of the temple by the Romans. In John, or since John mentions the coming as yet future, then it means that the temple had not yet been destroyed. Now I know a lot of people would take that as speculative, but you know, just continue to follow along and you'll see why I'm the statements that I'm making relative to the temple and to the parousia. Once again, you know, in Matthew 24 and verse three, Matthew placed that in connection with the fall of the temple. He says that the disciples came to him privately after he had spoken about all the stones of the temple being thrown down and not one stone would be left upon another that would not be thrown down. The disciples came to him privately saying, teacher, tell us when will these things be? And what will be the sign of your presence or parousia and of the end of the world, if you're reading the King James version, but literally he says of the end of the age. Now, in Matthew 24 and verse 34, he said, assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. And the first century generation has long since passed away. So we have to ask ourselves, did Jesus tell us the truth? Now, a lot of people just come out blatantly and say that he lied, that he didn't know what he was talking about, that he misinformed his disciples and that he had no clue or no more clue about when he was going to return than the rest of us did. However, Jesus did say that before that first century generation passed away, he would return. Now you have to take that information and align it with what John says in first John two and verse 28, when he talks about little children abide in him so that we would not be ashamed. So that when he appears, we would not be ashamed at his coming. That is, they would not be ashamed because remember, we're talking about audience relevance here. So the we in that text are not us, the we in that text would be the audience specifically to whom John wrote in the first century. And he's telling them that they would not be ashamed before the Lord at his coming or at his periseum. But again, with Matthew 24, 34, he tells them that that generation would not pass till all these things took place. And that would include the fall of the temple, the presence or the parousia of the Lord, his coming, and the consummation of the age, what people commonly call the end of the world. Now, secondly, on that point, John spoke of the end of the world in verse 17 of first John chapter two excuse me. And this word is not the usual word used for the end of the world. As I've already indicated, it's the word eon or age, which represents a period of time, namely the last days of the age of Moses. However, the end of the age is also the end of the cosmos that existed in their time. And John says that that end had not yet occurred. But remember, it's supposed to occur before that generation passes away. Cosmos, likewise, the not does not refer to the end of the material universe. That should be obvious if we're talking about a world and an age that passed away during the time of the apostles during the time of the first century before that generation passed away. In fact, the writers of the New Testament say that the cosmos was already passing away when the apostles wrote these epistles. For example, in first Corinthians chapter seven, and verse 31, Paul said, and those who use this world now that is the word cosmos. And those who use this world as not misusing it for the form of this world is passing away. That's a present tense term. It's a present tense verb. And he said that the world is passing away, the cosmos is passing away. So that's telling you that they were living in a time when they were taught by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that the world is passing away. Now that couldn't have been the physical world, it couldn't have been the material universe. And by the way, I've written a book called, Will Planet Earth Be Destroyed? And if you would like to know more details about that covering just about every passage that's talking about the end of the world and what those mean, then I would suggest that you get a copy of that book, you can go to our website at allthingsfulfilled.com forward slash shop and pick up a copy of it now. And so he said that the form of this world is passing away. Now in the very context, where he speaks about the Antichrist, he also tells us that the world is passing away again. In 1 John 2, verse 17, he says, and the world is passing away. But now notice what he had said prior to that in verses 15 through 17. And I'll read those for you. He says, love not the world, that's the cosmos, neither the things that are in the world. For all that is in the world in the cosmos, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world is passing away. But not only was the world passing away, he says, and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever. So that world was going to pass away, was in the process of passing away, along with the lusts of that world. Now, lust just means desire. And there were people who loved that old covenant cosmos. As a matter of fact, in 2 Timothy 4, verse 10, Paul refers to Demas saying this, for Demas has forsaken me, having love this present world. Again, if you're reading the English from the King James version, but literally that's the same word that's used in Matthew 24, verse 3, having love this present age. So they were in love with that world and were lusting after that world. Why? Because it had all the outward trappings of things they could see. They had been worshiping and using those things for 1500 years. Worshiping in the old covenant, meaning the temple that was in Jerusalem, the sacrifices that were being offered on the altar on a daily basis, the priesthood and all of their garments and garb, all of the vessels and furnishings of the tabernacle, the literal city of Jerusalem, all of those things were a part of what they lusted after. But the Bible says that world system was passing away. That cultus was passing away. It was already in the process of doing so. And you can see this in other passages as well, such as Hebrews chapter 12, the Bible speaks about it and other texts in Hebrews as well and throughout the New Testament. So that's what was going on. So not only was it the age that was coming to its end or consummation, but it was also the cosmos in addition to the age, because they're all wrapped up together. In 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 11, Paul said, now all these things happen to us as examples and they were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the ages have come. So they were the ones who saw the ends of the ages. This was not for people living in our time today. This was for the people who live back in the first century. So when we approach the biblical text, we need to have, or, you know, take off our 21st century glasses and put on our first century glasses. And when we do, we will be reading the New Testament through the eyes of a first century person and not a 21st century person. And that will help us in understanding what the text is saying. Now, thirdly, at the time John wrote the miraculous anointing of the Holy spirit was yet operative in the church. And what I'm doing is I'm building on the case of why the testimony regarding the antichrist had to be in the first century. So if you know that the temple wasn't destroyed, that's number one. If you know that the destruction of the temple was also the time of the Parisia, according to Matthew 24, three and other passages, that's number two. So that had not occurred. And those evidences are right there in first John. And then number three, at the time that John wrote the miraculous anointing of the Holy spirit was yet operative in the church. This is another very significant evidence that these things belong to the first century. Now, there are many who speak about the work of the Holy spirit in redemption of the church and who fail to understand that the miraculous work of the Holy spirit was number one, temporary. Now, people are very quick to ascribe us with the view that we don't believe in the Holy spirit or that the Holy spirit is present today. Well, the Holy spirit is as present with us today as our Jesus Christ and the father. Yet we don't see either one of them actively, particularly Jesus walking around on earth, doing the things that he did when he was here in the first century. We don't see God doing those things, but we yet believe in them and believe that they are with us because the Holy spirit is not working miraculously with people as he did in the first century, performing miracles, inspiring them, et cetera. They think that the Holy spirit has to be absent as well. Well, that's not the case. Uh, it simply means that that miraculous work that was designed for the last days of the age of Moses is not, uh, continuing or occurring to this day. Why? Because it had a limited time for those miracles to be performed. Those miracles are the outgrowth of the prophecy of Joel chapter two verses 28 through 32. Now, Peter cites this prophecy on the day of Pentecost, when he speaks about the visions, the dreams, the prophecies, and, uh, of sons, daughters, and, um, young men and old men, et cetera, that would happen in the last days prior to the great and awesome day of the Lord, which would again be the parousia of Christ. But, uh, in verse 16, he says, but this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel. And it should come to pass in the last day says God that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams. And on my men servants and on my maid servants, will I pour out my spirit in those days and they shall prophesy. And then again, uh, he says, I will show wonders in heaven above and, uh, signs in the earth beneath blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and awesome day of the Lord. So this is what the text was talking about. And you can see very clearly that he's talking about miracles that were being performed, signs, wonders, dreams, and visions by the inspiration of God. These things are related to events that happened in the first century. Now what is also often overlooked or missed regarding the coming of the Holy spirit and the exercise of these miraculous gifts is the limited duration that, uh, and time in which they would occur, which is mentioned in prophecy. In other words, Joel's prophecy pretty much limits it to the great and awesome day of the Lord. But there's another text that gives us a bit more precision about when these events would occur. And that's Micah chapter seven in verse 15, which says that the gifts would only occur for a period of 40 years. This is how he states it. We have to listen to it carefully. He says, as in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them wonders. Now, once again, as in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them wonders. Now, what that would do is that would take the church from about the time of Pentecost in acts two down to 70 AD, because that was a 40 year period that corresponds to the time that Israel was delivered out of Egypt. The time of the Exodus, another text that shows the miraculous gifts of the spirit would cease within those 40 years would be the prophecy of Daniel. He said, 70 weeks are determined for your people. Now who was Daniel's people? He only had one people. 70 weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city. Here's that holy city mentioned again. Here is Jerusalem mentioned again. Here's the temple mentioned again, because he says to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy. In verse 27, he talks about the fact that this would happen with a flood and to the end of the war, desolations were determined. And this would be with the abomination of desolation. And so it's very, very significant that we understand the timeframe that Daniel gave for the vision. He says in Daniel 9 and verse 27, he says then, well, no, it's in the latter part of verse 26 that I want to talk about when he says, and the people of the prince who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with the flood until the end of the war, desolations are determined. Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week, he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering and on the wings of abomination, a wing of abomination shall be one who makes desolate even until the consummation, which is determined is poured out on the desolate. Now I'm very aware that many people will see that as referring to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes. However, when you study Jeremiah and I'm not Jeremiah, but the historian Josephus from the first century, and I believe it's in antiquities 10, Josephus says these things happened in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, but were also fulfilled during the time of the Romans. Now Josephus lived closer to that time. He was a Jewish priest. He understood these scriptures and he certainly acknowledges that this was the time of the Romans as well. If you're going to apply it to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes as sort of a type of those things, but the fulfillment ultimately was during the time of the Romans. But I think that the evidence there points more to Rome. And I would suggest that that is the perspective that we look at, but here's the point. He said that these 70 weeks were determined for your people. That's the people of Israel and for your holy city. And that there was going to be this complete devastation of that. Now, when you look at Daniel chapter 12, when the question was asked, when will these things be? The response that was given to Daniel was that they would be for a time, times and half a time. And when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things would come to pass or be fulfilled Daniel 12 and verse seven. So once again, that place is the fulfillment of those things at the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. Now, Daniel had stated that those things would occur within the 70 weeks, which would have been 70 weeks of sevens. And this time amounts to 40, or excuse me, 490 years, which would have been 10 Jubilee periods. And if you count back from the destruction of the temple back around 49 years, it would put you back into the time of Christ and his ministry and therefore would encompass that period of time. And so from that, you can see that we're dealing with a time in the first century. Daniel said that God would seal up both vision and prophecy during this time. And that refers both to the prophetic office so that there would be no more prophets. And secondly, it will refer to the visions themselves being sealed up, fulfilled never to be repeated again. John refers to this miraculous anointing in his epistle, therefore showing that this was the time that the Holy Spirit was still operative, because he said that the word of God was abiding in them, meaning by inspiration, as they did not have a written Bible at the time. He says, I have written to you fathers, because you have known him who was from the beginning. I have written to you young men, because you are strong and the word of God abides in you and you have overcome the wicked one. Then in verse 20, he says that they had this miraculous anointing of the Holy Spirit. He says, but you have an anointing from the Holy one and you know all things. Well, the reason they knew all things was because they were being inspired by the Holy Spirit through that miraculous anointing that we refer to from Joel 2 and from Acts chapter 2, which Micah said would only last for a period of about 40 years. And therefore that was to abide in them. Now, when we come back on next week, we're going to talk about these things a bit further to show you more of the first century evidence for John's writing of the epistle to first John and second John, where we have the information and evidence of the Antichrist mentioned, so that in putting all of that together, we will see this first century historical timeframe for those things. Well, until next week, I'm William Bell saying that you have a very pleasant evening and may God bless you and we'll talk to you in the next episode.