Revelation Part 9
The Apostasy and the Man of Sin
The two letters written by the Apostle Paul to the church at Thessalonica deal with the time of the catching away of the church from the earth up to heaven. This matter was causing a great deal of confusion in the church, so as a result we have this detailed explanation.
The Great Apostasy
2 Thess 2:1 Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him {the rapture}. 2 Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. 3 Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction. 4 He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God. NLT
Definition : Apostasy, defection, revolt, to forsake, a falling away, Ancient documents politically as rebels
The Man of Sin , the Antichrist, the Beast will persecute believers throughout Daniel’s 70th week.
Rev 11: 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. 6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
The Witnesses Killed
7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three and a half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. 10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. NKJV
He will make a covenant with Nation Israel and then break it.
Dan 9:27 And he shall enter into a strong and firm covenant with the many for one week [seven years]. And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and offering to cease [for the remaining three and one half years]; AMP
He will profane and desecrate the Temple of God.
Dan 11:31 “His army will take over the Temple fortress, pollute the sanctuary, put a stop to the daily sacrifices, and set up the sacrilegious object that causes desecration. 32 He will flatter and win over those who have violated the covenant. But the people who know their God will be strong and will resist him. NLT
The Antricrist will announce that he is God in the flesh, the perfect demonic counterfeit of Christ.
2 Thess 2:4 Who opposes and exalts himself so proudly and insolently against and over all that is called God or that is worshiped, [even to his actually] taking his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming that he himself is God. AMP
Matt 24:15 “The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about—the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.” (Reader, pay attention!) NLT
Demonic worship of the Antichrist will be instituted.
Rev 13: 12 He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and its people to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 He did astounding miracles, even making fire flash down to earth from the sky while everyone was watching. 14 And with all the miracles he was allowed to perform on behalf of the first beast, he deceived all the people who belong to this world. He ordered the people to make a great statue of the first beast, who was fatally wounded and then came back to life. 15 He was then permitted to give life to this statue so that it could speak. Then the statue of the beast commanded that anyone refusing to worship it must die.
16 He required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. 17 And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. NLT
God’s faithful people will be persecuted for resisting the Antichrist. The Faithful shall receive grace to patiently endure till the end.
Matt 24:9 “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. 10 And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. 11 And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. 12 Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come. NLT
The Great Tribulation will be cut short in honor of God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Matt 24: 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. NKJV
The major event is the Abomination of Desolation in the middle of the Great Tribulation. The place of focus is Jerusalem. The Jews in Israel are the ones that would perish if the Great Tribulation was not cut short.
Jer 30:7 Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble,
But he shall be saved out of it. NKJV
Because the Antichrist is the counterfeit Messiah, he will be killed in war and the deadly wound will be healed. This is a counterfeit resurrection because he will be destroyed by Christ at His coming.
Rev 13:11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. { The false Prophet} 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, { The Antichrist }whose deadly wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived . NKJV
