End Times

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BEWARE OF ANTICHRIST

(Sermon: November 9, 1997)

I want to talk about an end times topic today. And I've chosen one that most of you probably haven't had a whole lot of opportunity to consider. It's a rather novel topic, but I think it'll be of interest nonetheless. Please turn with me in your Bibles to 2 Thessalonians 2. In 2 Thessalonians 2, beginning with v. 1, the Apostle Paul writes...

Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he may be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved (2 Thess. 2:1-10).

Now the main thrust of this passage centers around a specific person who is to be revealed in the last days. And this person is given a name in the first epistle of John. There, the apostle states...

Children,...[Antichrist] is coming... (1 Jn. 2:18).

Antichrist. According to the Scriptures, he's a very significant individual who will not only rule the world in the near future, but he'll lead it and its people into destruction as well. So, who is Antichrist and when will he appear? What'll he be like when he arrives and what can a person do to protect himself from falling for his deception? These are the questions I plan to answer this morning as we consider together what the Bible has to say with regards to Antichrist.

The first question I'd like to consider today is...

I. WHO IS ANTICHRIST AND WHEN WILL HE APPEAR?

Well, first of all, the term "antichrist" in it's very definition explains alot about who he'll be. Because "anti" means against, then "antichrist" means against Christ. Antichrist, therefore, is a person that'll be opposed to anything that Jesus is for. The Open Bible puts it this way: "Satan's final [adversary] to stand against both Christ and Christians will be[the person of] Antichrist" (Open Bible 49).

Now the timing of Antichrist's arrival has been foretold in the Scriptures. With regards to the season of his appearance, both 2 Thessalonians 2 combined with 1 John 2:18 offer us some clues. 1 John 2:18 in it's complete form reads as follows...

Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that [Antichrist] is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour (1 Jn. 2:18).

According to the context of this verse, Antichrist's arrival will take place in what's referred to as the "last hour" which is the same as saying near the end of time. Our opening text this morning backs this truth as well. It is there that Antichrist's very appearance is linked to the return of Christ and the end of the world--events that are to take place in the last days. In v. 1-2 of 2 Thessalonians 2, both the Lord's second coming and the day of the Lord (that's a biblical phrase referring to the world's end) are mentioned. And then in v. 3, it is said that these events will not take place until after Antichrist appears. There, Paul writes...

Let no one in any way deceive you, for [the return of Christ and the day of the Lord] will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness (the Antichrist) is revealed... (2 Thess. 2:3).

So again, as it is in 1st John, the Antichrist's arrival is linked to the last hour.

Now 2 Thessalonians 2 also mentions one other key matter that I'd like you to notice. In v. 6, it says...

And you know what restrains [Antichrist] now, so that in his time he may be revealed (2 Thess. 2:6).

Skipping down to the last part of v. 7, it continues further saying...

...[He] who now restrains [Antichrist] will do so until he is taken out of the way. And then that lawless one will be revealed... (2 Thess. 2:6, 7b-8a).

Now according to these few verses it seems that Antichrist is to be held back from his appearing by some outside force. But what is it that restrains him? Well, some believe that it's just impossible to know exactly while others think that the restraining force is none other than the Holy Spirit. The latter hold to the idea that the very moment the church is caught away from the earth (1 Thess. 4:16-17), the Holy Spirit will also be removed from the planet. It's at the time of the rapture, these people believe, that the "restraining force" is removed and, as a direct result of that, the Antichrist is revealed.

Whatever the case, the linkage of Antichrist's appearance to the rapture, the day of the Lord, and the return of Christ points to his arrival as taking place during the last hour. Therefore, his coming is still in the future. But, as my wife, Kim, was careful to point out, if Antichrist is not yet alive today, his ancestors certainly are. (They just might even be your neighbors! Now, that's a scary thought!)

Children, it is the last hour; and...[Antichrist] is coming (1 Jn. 2:18).

On now to the second question I'd like to consider today...

II. WHAT'LL ANTICHRIST BE LIKE WHEN HE ARRIVES?

To answer this I think the titles ascribed to him in our text today have much to say. First of all, in v. 3 of 2 Thessalonians 2, the Antichrist is given the title: "man of lawlessness." Now to be lawless is the opposite of being lawful. Therefore, a person who's lawless is someone who operates illegally. Another word that can be used to describe a lawless person is unruly. When someone's unruly he's hard to control, very difficult to keep in order, and often given over to disobedience (Webster's 654).

While developing this point, I couldn't help but think of the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and his actions just this past week. Talk about the perfect example of one who's unruly. By not allowing United Nations personnel to inspect his facilities for illegal weapons as he had agreed to do before, Hussein, in essence, was acting lawlessly. And when Antichrist arrives, he'll be just like that and a whole lot more. Like Saddam Hussein, he's going to be a man who is literally uncontrollable. There'll be no law that he won't break and no authority that he won't undermine, including God's, to further his plans. The Antichrist is going to be a "man of lawlessness."

The second title Antichrist is given in v. 3 is "son of destruction." And I don't think this reference has anything to do with the name of his father. I rather believe that it speaks of Antichrist's upbringing--how he's to be schooled in the ways of wrecklessness. Might he, as a young person, be into things like vandalism, theft, arson, etc? Maybe even worse? I think it's a definite possibility.

When I was growing up I unfortunately found myself at times hanging around guys who were receiving their training in wrecklessness. They'd go out at night, break into the local school, and make a mess of the place just for thrills. To this day, I'm happy to say I wasn't with them during those instances. But I sure heard about my comrades' escapades the morning after. And the sad thing about it was that, even though they sometimes got caught, some of them didn't get the message and continued doing destructive things afterwards. I even think a few of them may have eventually wound up in jail.

The Antichrist is going to be a "son of destruction." Like some of my early partners did, he'll get his education in the ways of wrecklessness.

And not only will Antichrist be unlawful and destructive in nature, he'll also possess incredible miraculous abilities as well. What a deadly combination! In our text, it says that...

...[He'll come] in accordance with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and

false wonders... (2 Thess. 2:9).

Now whether or not the miracles Antichrist will do are legitimate ones or just illusionary, I don't know. Whatever the case, it seems that Antichrist will use them to attract many to follow him. One such miracle that scholars believe he'll perform is a mimicking of Jesus' resurrection from the dead (Rev. 13:3, 12).

Now beyond our text this morning, both the Old Testament book of Daniel and the New Testament book of Revelation offer much more info regarding what Antichrist will be like. And because there are so many references, I'm only going to make mention of a few. To begin with, the prophet Daniel indicates that Antichrist will be a highly intelligent individual, a great orator, and a crafty politician. Pointing to his great thinking and speaking ability, Daniel 7 says...

...[Antichrist will possess] eyes like the eyes of a man... (Dan. 7:8d).

One commentator says that "eyes like the eyes of a man" in this verse is a reference to what will be Antichrist's amazing ingenuity (Matthew Henry 1094). He'll literally be a genius after the likes of Einstein, Edison, etc. He'll be clever. He'll be resourceful. And he'll be able to deal with problems in original and effective ways. Antichrist will have "eyes like the eyes of a man." And Daniel 7:8 goes on to say that...

...[He'll also possess] a mouth uttering great boasts (Dan. 7:8e).

And this statement is believed to be a reference to what will be Antichrist's incredible oratory skills. It seems that he'll be a person who's able to move a crowd with his words. Adolf Hitler was a man whose speeches could move a crowd. And we know what he went on to do. Antichrist will walk in Hitler's footsteps. (Actually, he'll make Hitler look like an amateur!) *******

On now to Antichrist's political talents. Regarding them, the book of Revelation 17:12-13 says...

"...[Ten] kings...[will] receive [political] authority with [Antichrist] for one hour. (By the way, these 'kings' are representative of world rulership in the end times). [Now the ten kings] have one purpose and they give their [governing] power and authority to [Antichrist]" (Rev. 17:12-13).

According to these verses it seems that, during his time on the scene, Antichrist will arrest world rulership through some sort of crafty political manuevering. So he'll be highly intelligent , a great speaker, and a master politician. And he'll also be a combative genius as well. Revelation 13 suggests that Antichrist will have impressive military skills. There we read that...

...[The people] worshiped [Satan], because he gave his authority to [Antichrist]; and they worshiped [Antichrist as well,] saying, "Who is like [Antichrist], and who is able to wage war with him?" (Rev. 13:4).

That's kind of like saying of a boxing champion who just successfully defended his title, "Is there anybody that can beat this guy?" Antichrist will be a brilliant military strategist.

Now both Daniel and Revelation go on to say that Antichrist will be morally bankrupt due to the fact that he's given over to selfish ambition and materialism. And when it comes to religion, he'll be a blasphemer and will eventually, due to his self-absorption, demand all of mankind's worship (2 Thess. 2:4). Those who don't comply with this order of his will face extermination (Rev. 13:15). Certainly, Antichrist will be like no one else the world has ever known. Even the actions of the planet's most wickedest men in the past will pale in comparison to his.

On now to the final question I'd like to consider today...

III. WHAT CAN A PERSON DO TO PROTECT HIMSELF

FROM FALLING FOR ANTICHRIST'S DECEPTION?

To answer this I believe it'll first be important to realize what his deception will be. Simply put, Antichrist will deceive people into thinking that he's someone other than who he really is. Therefore, when he does come, he'll play like he's a man who can be trusted--like he's a person who's concerned for the good of all. And since his appearance coin-cides with the rapture of the Church, could it be that Antichrist will capitalize on that event as well to keep up his front? To show what a great humanitarian he is, might Antichrist restore some sense of order to a chaotic planet that just lost millions upon millions of people in a moment's time? It's interesting to wonder.

Now, to bolster his facade, the Bible says that Antichrist will even make a peace treaty with Israel for seven years (Is. 28:15, 18; Dan. 9:27). And by doing this, I believe he'll be trying to make people think that he's a friend of God because he's a friend of the Jews (God's people). But deep down inside, it'll be just the opposite. So Antichrist's deception will be that he poses like someone who he's really not. And once he secures power, he'll then show his true colors. The lawless, destructive, and morally bankrupt side of him will rise to the surface. And Antichrist's wrecklessness will reach it's climax when he breaks his treaty with Israel after 3 1/2 years and seeks to destroy her. When that happens, literally all hell will break loose. And ultimately, as our text states in v. 8,...

...[The] Lord [Jesus] will slay [Antichrist for his insolence] with the breath of His mouth and [will] bring [him] to an end by the appearance of His coming (2 Thess. 2:8).

And that will happen at the place called: "Armageddon" (Rev. 16:16).

Now to protect oneself from falling for Antichrist's deception, there's only one thing a person can do. He must receive the love of the truth. This is the counsel conveyed by v. 10 of our text. There we find out that those who succumb to Antichrist's lies will do so...

...because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved (2 Thess. 2:10b).

The Living Bible version of this verse really opens up it's meaning. Notice...

[Antichrist]...will trick everyone with strange demonstrations, and will do great miracles. He will completely fool those who are on their way to hell because they have said "no" to the Truth; they have refused to believe it and love it, and let it save them (2 Thess. 2:9b-10; Living Bible).

In John 14 one learns who these people have really said "no" to. In v. 6 of that chapter, Christ states...

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life..." (Jn. 14:6a).

Jesus Himself declares here that He is the truth. So in the day of Antichrist's deception, it'll be because people are unwilling to say "yes" to Jesus that they'll fall for Antichrist's lie. To put it simply, to receive the love of the truth means that a person has asked Jesus to come into his life.

Have you said "yes" to Christ yet? *******

Some time ago I was afforded the opportunity to view a film documentary about the Jonestown massacre. Do you remember that incident back in 1978? It was there, in Jonestown, Guyana, that hundreds of men, women, and children committed suicide at the request of their cult founder, the now infamous Jim Jones. Now interestingly in that film actual footage of Jones preaching to his congregation while they were still in San Francisco is shown. To say the least, I was shocked to hear how Jones misinterpreted God's Word. He'd use a Bible verse here and there and then go on to say things that were totally off the wall. As I watched it I couldn't help but ask myself, "How could anyone in their right mind fall for that kind of stuff?" Well, the answer is because they'd never received the love of the truth.

Because a person whose received it can never be fooled by a lie whether it's Jim Jones or Antichrist himself who's communicating it. To protect oneself from falling for Anti-christ's deception a person must receive the love of the truth.

Have you welcomed it into your life?

If you have, you won't even be around when Antichrist appears. Because at that point you'll already be with the real Christ in heaven. And that's where I plan to be. How about you?

Let's close in prayer.


	From Our Heart To Yours \| home Christmas \| Death Of Christ \| Easter \| End Times \| Gambling \| Godly Living \| Hell \| Memorials \| Spiritual Slumber \| The Cross BEWARE OF ANTICHRIST (Sermon: November 9, 1997) I want to talk about an end times topic today. And I've chosen one that most of you probably haven't had a whole lot of opportunity to consider. It's a rather novel topic, but I think it'll be of interest nonetheless. Please turn with me in your Bibles to 2 Thessalonians 2. In 2 Thessalonians 2, beginning with v. 1, the Apostle Paul writes... Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he may be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved (2 Thess. 2:1-10). Now the main thrust of this passage centers around a specific person who is to be revealed in the last days. And this person is given a name in the first epistle of John. There, the apostle states... Children,...[Antichrist] is coming... (1 Jn. 2:18). Antichrist. According to the Scriptures, he's a very significant individual who will not only rule the world in the near future, but he'll lead it and its people into destruction as well. So, who is Antichrist and when will he appear? What'll he be like when he arrives and what can a person do to protect himself from falling for his deception? These are the questions I plan to answer this morning as we consider together what the Bible has to say with regards to Antichrist. Shall we pray? The first question I'd like to consider today is... I. WHO IS ANTICHRIST AND WHEN WILL HE APPEAR? Well, first of all, the term "antichrist" in it's very definition explains alot about who he'll be. Because "anti" means against, then "antichrist" means against Christ. Antichrist, therefore, is a person that'll be opposed to anything that Jesus is for. The Open Bible puts it this way: "Satan's final [adversary] to stand against both Christ and Christians will be[the person of] Antichrist" (Open Bible 49). Now the timing of Antichrist's arrival has been foretold in the Scriptures. With regards to the season of his appearance, both 2 Thessalonians 2 combined with 1 John 2:18 offer us some clues. 1 John 2:18 in it's complete form reads as follows... Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that [Antichrist] is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour (1 Jn. 2:18). According to the context of this verse, Antichrist's arrival will take place in what's referred to as the "last hour" which is the same as saying near the end of time. Our opening text this morning backs this truth as well. It is there that Antichrist's very appearance is linked to the return of Christ and the end of the world--events that are to take place in the last days. In v. 1-2 of 2 Thessalonians 2, both the Lord's second coming and the day of the Lord (that's a biblical phrase referring to the world's end) are mentioned. And then in v. 3, it is said that these events will not take place until after Antichrist appears. There, Paul writes... Let no one in any way deceive you, for [the return of Christ and the day of the Lord] will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness (the Antichrist) is revealed... (2 Thess. 2:3). So again, as it is in 1st John, the Antichrist's arrival is linked to the last hour. Now 2 Thessalonians 2 also mentions one other key matter that I'd like you to notice. In v. 6, it says... And you know what restrains [Antichrist] now, so that in his time he may be revealed (2 Thess. 2:6). Skipping down to the last part of v. 7, it continues further saying... ...[He] who now restrains [Antichrist] will do so until he is taken out of the way. And then that lawless one will be revealed... (2 Thess. 2:6, 7b-8a). Now according to these few verses it seems that Antichrist is to be held back from his appearing by some outside force. But what is it that restrains him? Well, some believe that it's just impossible to know exactly while others think that the restraining force is none other than the Holy Spirit. The latter hold to the idea that the very moment the church is caught away from the earth (1 Thess. 4:16-17), the Holy Spirit will also be removed from the planet. It's at the time of the rapture, these people believe, that the "restraining force" is removed and, as a direct result of that, the Antichrist is revealed. Whatever the case, the linkage of Antichrist's appearance to the rapture, the day of the Lord, and the return of Christ points to his arrival as taking place during the last hour. Therefore, his coming is still in the future. But, as my wife, Kim, was careful to point out, if Antichrist is not yet alive today, his ancestors certainly are. (They just might even be your neighbors! Now, that's a scary thought!) Children, it is the last hour; and...[Antichrist] is coming (1 Jn. 2:18). On now to the second question I'd like to consider today... II. WHAT'LL ANTICHRIST BE LIKE WHEN HE ARRIVES? To answer this I think the titles ascribed to him in our text today have much to say. First of all, in v. 3 of 2 Thessalonians 2, the Antichrist is given the title: "man of lawlessness." Now to be lawless is the opposite of being lawful. Therefore, a person who's lawless is someone who operates illegally. Another word that can be used to describe a lawless person is unruly. When someone's unruly he's hard to control, very difficult to keep in order, and often given over to disobedience (Webster's 654). While developing this point, I couldn't help but think of the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and his actions just this past week. Talk about the perfect example of one who's unruly. By not allowing United Nations personnel to inspect his facilities for illegal weapons as he had agreed to do before, Hussein, in essence, was acting lawlessly. And when Antichrist arrives, he'll be just like that and a whole lot more. Like Saddam Hussein, he's going to be a man who is literally uncontrollable. There'll be no law that he won't break and no authority that he won't undermine, including God's, to further his plans. The Antichrist is going to be a "man of lawlessness." The second title Antichrist is given in v. 3 is "son of destruction." And I don't think this reference has anything to do with the name of his father. I rather believe that it speaks of Antichrist's upbringing--how he's to be schooled in the ways of wrecklessness. Might he, as a young person, be into things like vandalism, theft, arson, etc? Maybe even worse? I think it's a definite possibility. When I was growing up I unfortunately found myself at times hanging around guys who were receiving their training in wrecklessness. They'd go out at night, break into the local school, and make a mess of the place just for thrills. To this day, I'm happy to say I wasn't with them during those instances. But I sure heard about my comrades' escapades the morning after. And the sad thing about it was that, even though they sometimes got caught, some of them didn't get the message and continued doing destructive things afterwards. I even think a few of them may have eventually wound up in jail. The Antichrist is going to be a "son of destruction." Like some of my early partners did, he'll get his education in the ways of wrecklessness. And not only will Antichrist be unlawful and destructive in nature, he'll also possess incredible miraculous abilities as well. What a deadly combination! In our text, it says that... ...[He'll come] in accordance with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders... (2 Thess. 2:9). Now whether or not the miracles Antichrist will do are legitimate ones or just illusionary, I don't know. Whatever the case, it seems that Antichrist will use them to attract many to follow him. One such miracle that scholars believe he'll perform is a mimicking of Jesus' resurrection from the dead (Rev. 13:3, 12). Now beyond our text this morning, both the Old Testament book of Daniel and the New Testament book of Revelation offer much more info regarding what Antichrist will be like. And because there are so many references, I'm only going to make mention of a few. To begin with, the prophet Daniel indicates that Antichrist will be a highly intelligent individual, a great orator, and a crafty politician. Pointing to his great thinking and speaking ability, Daniel 7 says... ...[Antichrist will possess] eyes like the eyes of a man... (Dan. 7:8d). One commentator says that "eyes like the eyes of a man" in this verse is a reference to what will be Antichrist's amazing ingenuity (Matthew Henry 1094). He'll literally be a genius after the likes of Einstein, Edison, etc. He'll be clever. He'll be resourceful. And he'll be able to deal with problems in original and effective ways. Antichrist will have "eyes like the eyes of a man." And Daniel 7:8 goes on to say that... ...[He'll also possess] a mouth uttering great boasts (Dan. 7:8e). And this statement is believed to be a reference to what will be Antichrist's incredible oratory skills. It seems that he'll be a person who's able to move a crowd with his words. Adolf Hitler was a man whose speeches could move a crowd. And we know what he went on to do. Antichrist will walk in Hitler's footsteps. (Actually, he'll make Hitler look like an amateur!) ***** On now to Antichrist's political talents. Regarding them, the book of Revelation 17:12-13 says... "...[Ten] kings...[will] receive [political] authority with [Antichrist] for one hour. (By the way, these 'kings' are representative of world rulership in the end times). [Now the ten kings] have one purpose and they give their [governing] power and authority to [Antichrist]" (Rev. 17:12-13). According to these verses it seems that, during his time on the scene, Antichrist will arrest world rulership through some sort of crafty political manuevering. So he'll be highly intelligent , a great speaker, and a master politician. And he'll also be a combative genius as well. Revelation 13 suggests that Antichrist will have impressive military skills. There we read that... ...[The people] worshiped [Satan], because he gave his authority to [Antichrist]; and they worshiped [Antichrist as well,] saying, "Who is like [Antichrist], and who is able to wage war with him?" (Rev. 13:4). That's kind of like saying of a boxing champion who just successfully defended his title, "Is there anybody that can beat this guy?" Antichrist will be a brilliant military strategist. Now both Daniel and Revelation go on to say that Antichrist will be morally bankrupt due to the fact that he's given over to selfish ambition and materialism. And when it comes to religion, he'll be a blasphemer and will eventually, due to his self-absorption, demand all of mankind's worship (2 Thess. 2:4). Those who don't comply with this order of his will face extermination (Rev. 13:15). Certainly, Antichrist will be like no one else the world has ever known. Even the actions of the planet's most wickedest men in the past will pale in comparison to his. On now to the final question I'd like to consider today... III. WHAT CAN A PERSON DO TO PROTECT HIMSELF FROM FALLING FOR ANTICHRIST'S DECEPTION? To answer this I believe it'll first be important to realize what his deception will be. Simply put, Antichrist will deceive people into thinking that he's someone other than who he really is. Therefore, when he does come, he'll play like he's a man who can be trusted--like he's a person who's concerned for the good of all. And since his appearance coin-cides with the rapture of the Church, could it be that Antichrist will capitalize on that event as well to keep up his front? To show what a great humanitarian he is, might Antichrist restore some sense of order to a chaotic planet that just lost millions upon millions of people in a moment's time? It's interesting to wonder. Now, to bolster his facade, the Bible says that Antichrist will even make a peace treaty with Israel for seven years (Is. 28:15, 18; Dan. 9:27). And by doing this, I believe he'll be trying to make people think that he's a friend of God because he's a friend of the Jews (God's people). But deep down inside, it'll be just the opposite. So Antichrist's deception will be that he poses like someone who he's really not. And once he secures power, he'll then show his true colors. The lawless, destructive, and morally bankrupt side of him will rise to the surface. And Antichrist's wrecklessness will reach it's climax when he breaks his treaty with Israel after 3 1/2 years and seeks to destroy her. When that happens, literally all hell will break loose. And ultimately, as our text states in v. 8,... ...[The] Lord [Jesus] will slay [Antichrist for his insolence] with the breath of His mouth and [will] bring [him] to an end by the appearance of His coming (2 Thess. 2:8). And that will happen at the place called: "Armageddon" (Rev. 16:16). Now to protect oneself from falling for Antichrist's deception, there's only one thing a person can do. He must receive the love of the truth. This is the counsel conveyed by v. 10 of our text. There we find out that those who succumb to Antichrist's lies will do so... ...because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved (2 Thess. 2:10b). The Living Bible version of this verse really opens up it's meaning. Notice... [Antichrist]...will trick everyone with strange demonstrations, and will do great miracles. He will completely fool those who are on their way to hell because they have said "no" to the Truth; they have refused to believe it and love it, and let it save them (2 Thess. 2:9b-10; Living Bible). In John 14 one learns who these people have really said "no" to. In v. 6 of that chapter, Christ states... "I am the way, and the truth, and the life..." (Jn. 14:6a). Jesus Himself declares here that He is the truth. So in the day of Antichrist's deception, it'll be because people are unwilling to say "yes" to Jesus that they'll fall for Antichrist's lie. To put it simply, to receive the love of the truth means that a person has asked Jesus to come into his life. Have you said "yes" to Christ yet? *** Some time ago I was afforded the opportunity to view a film documentary about the Jonestown massacre. Do you remember that incident back in 1978? It was there, in Jonestown, Guyana, that hundreds of men, women, and children committed suicide at the request of their cult founder, the now infamous Jim Jones. Now interestingly in that film actual footage of Jones preaching to his congregation while they were still in San Francisco is shown. To say the least, I was shocked to hear how Jones misinterpreted God's Word. He'd use a Bible verse here and there and then go on to say things that were totally off the wall. As I watched it I couldn't help but ask myself, "How could anyone in their right mind fall for that kind of stuff?" Well, the answer is because they'd never received the love of the truth. Because a person whose received it can never be fooled by a lie whether it's Jim Jones or Antichrist himself who's communicating it. To protect oneself from falling for Anti-christ's deception a person must receive the love of the truth. Have you welcomed it into your life? If you have, you won't even be around when Antichrist appears. Because at that point you'll already be with the real Christ in heaven. And that's where I plan to be. How about you? Let's close in prayer.**