The First Seal: Antichrist - Part 2 - The Prophesy of Antichrist

Temple Baptist Church - 10-11-2020

Revelation 6:1-2

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Last week, we looked at the conditioning of this present evil world before the introduction of Antichrist.  Like anything else, to introduce something so drastic and dramatic with no preparation or conditioning would bring about rejection.  There needed to be a conditioning or “getting used to the dark” by the unbeliever.

 

1.  The Conditioning of the Pulpit of the local churches.

 

2.  The Conditioning of the Pew of the local churches.

 

3.  The Conditioning of the People without the local church.

 

B.  The First Seal is the introduction of the Person of Sin, Antichrist.

 

1.  He will be a Pretender – He comes on a white horse.  The “good guys” wear the white hats and ride on a white horse.  His acceptance relies on pretense.

 

2.  He will be a man of Peace – He will bring a pseudo peace that the world looks for.  He comes with a bow but no arrows in hand.  This world in general is desirous of peace, not war and look for someone who can bring it.

 

3.  He will be a man of Position – He will be given a crown.  Not take a crown.

 

4.  He will be a man of Power – He will go forth conquering.

 

5.  He will be a man of Purpose – He will desire to conquer this present world.

 

C.  Tonight, we will take a short look at the Prophecies of Antichrist’s coming.

 

1.  The Seed of the Serpent.

 

Genesis 3:13-15  And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.  (14)  And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:  (15)  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

 

2.  The Judge of His People.

 

Genesis 49:16-18  Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.  (17)  Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.  (18)  I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.

 

3.  The Wicked Prince of Israel.

 

Ezekiel 21:25-27  And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel (Jewish Birth), whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end,  (26)  Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high.  (27)  I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give

 

4.  The Little Horn.

 

Daniel 7:8  I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

 

Daniel 8:9-14  And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.  (10)  And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.  (11)  Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.  (12)  And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.  (13)  Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?  (14)  And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

 

By Interpretation, Antiochus (The Illustrious One) Epiphanes (The Mad Man).  Prophetically, Antichrist.

 

Antiochus Epiphanes – a Syrian King came with peace but destroyed 80,000 men—women—children and sold 40,000 into slavery.  He was a God hater and a Jew hater who sought to destroy.  It is a matter of historical record as to the desire of Antiochus to destroy the Jewish nation and their religion. When Antiochus set up the image of Jupiter in the Holy Place in Jerusalem and desecrated the sanctuary and its holy vessels, he was unwittingly portraying a future defilement. Daniel referred to this incident as the “abomination that maketh desolate” (Dan. 11:31; 12:11). Jesus linked this event to Matthew 24:15 when he declared: “When ye therefore shall see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand).”  It is said by some that he offered a sow on the altar of the Temple.

 

5.  The King of Fierce Countenance.

 

Daniel 8:20-25  The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media (Darius) and Persia (Cyrus).  (21)  And the rough goat is the king of Grecia (Alexander the Great): and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.  (22)  Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.  (23)  And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.  (24)  And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.  (25)  And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

 

6.  The Prince of the People.

 

Daniel 9:24-27  Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.  (25)  Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.  (26)  And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.  (27)  And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

 

Daniel 11:36-38  And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.  (37)  Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.  (38)  But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.

 

7.  The Man of Sin … The Son of Perdition … That Wicked.

 

2 Thessalonians 2:3-10  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;  (4)  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.  (5)  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?  (6)  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.  (7)  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.  (8)  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:  (9)  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,  (10)  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

 

The Fruit of the Spirit: Faith

Temple Baptist Church - 10-11-2020

Galatians 5:22

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Now that we have the inward man taken care of: love, joy, and peace.

 

B.  And the outward man taken care of: longsuffering, gentleness, and goodness.

 

C.  We can now establish a right relationship with the Lord.  The Seventh aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit is Faith.

 

D.  **Hebrews 11:1-6.  The biblical definition of faith is as good as it gets.

 

Hebrews 11:1-3  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  (2)  For by it the elders obtained a good report.  (3)  Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

 

1.  The substance of things hoped for.  “Substance” is something that can be touched or seen.  Through others in similar situations, we can see the “hand of God” in both their victories and defeats.  “Hoped for” are future events that will follow the pattern of history.  Things that we are persuaded of:  when tornados came, my mom would always say, “God knows where I am!”

 

2.  The evidence of things not seen.  “Evidence” means persuaded by something witnessed.  In verse 3, we find the evidence of nature’s creation.  Perfect, synchronized, uniform in procreation, designed to work together as nothing that is made is without purpose.  Supernatural things that are happening both to us and around us.

 

E.  Our relationship with God is faith based upon and then continued through Faith!  Without faith, nothing else matters.

 

a. Faith points to God – Hebrews 11:3  Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

 

b. Faith pleases God – Hebrews 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

 

1.  Our Salvation is Faith Based.  Hebrews 11:6a  “cometh to God must believe that he is”

 

a)  The agent of saving faith - Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

Ephesians 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

 

b)  The action of saving faith - Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

 

c)  The assurance of saving faith - Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

 

2. Our Service is Faith Based.  Hebrews 11:6b  “and that he is a rewarder”

 

2 Corinthians 5:7  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

 

a. It produces results in the believer – Hebrews 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,  

 

Hebrews 11:26-27  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. (27) By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

 

b. It promises reward to the believer – Hebrews 12: 2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 

Psalms 31:23-24  O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.  (24)  Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

 

3.  Our Spiritual Communion is Faith Based.  Hebrews 6c “them that diligently seek him.”

 

John 20:28-29  And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.  (29)  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

 

a.  Our Prayers are Faith Based - Matthew 21:22  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

 

b.  Our Worship is Faith Based - John 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Serving The Lord In A Perilous World

Temple Baptist Church - 10-7-2020

Hebrews 12:25-29

 

Introduction:

 

A.  We saw the contrasts of several things in the preceding verses:

 

1.  Mount Sinai vs. Mount Sion

2.  The Old Covenant (Law) vs. The New Covenant (Grace)

3.  Israel vs. The Church

4.  Abel’s Blood vs. Christ’s Blood

5.  Moses’ Mediation vs. Christ our Mediator

6.  A World that is Shaking vs. The Unshaken

 

B.  Thank the Lord for allowing us to live in such a time as this with a blessed faith in God’s promises which cannot be shaken.  We know Who holds tomorrow and that He also holds our hand!

 

C.  While the world shakes, we are to have stability and that stability is in Christ.

The Kingdom of God cannot be moved because what He has determined will come to pass.  God knows where this world is spiritually and has given to the believer all that is needed to withstand and having done all, to stand.

 

2 Peter 1:1-4  Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:  (2)  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,  (3)  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:  (4)  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

 

D.  In verse 28, we who serve the living God are instructed to:

 

1.  Have Grace.  The confidence that what God has promised, He is able to deliver on.  Knowing that our sin is covered, our race is set, our future secure.  Everything will be alright!  Have grace, not with grace.  We need to have grace to serve God and have grace to serve others.  Our day takes a lot of grace but God’s grace is abundant and sufficient.

 

a.  Grace to Live

 

b.  Grace to Serve

 

c.  Grace to Endure

 

d.  Grace to Others

 

2.  Serve the Lord Acceptably.

 

a.  Not Acceptable to Self – We are not to serve as we Desire.

 

b.  But serve Acceptable unto God – We are to serve as He Demands.

 

3.  Serve the Lord with Reverence.  Shamefacedness, downcast eyes, bashfulness, modesty.

 

First Mention - Leviticus 19:30  Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.

 

a.  Reverence in knowing who we are.

 

b.  Reverence in know who He is.

 

John 3:30  He must increase, but I must decrease.

 

4.  Serve the Lord with Fear.  One of the characteristics of these las days is a TOTAL lack of the fear of the Lord.

 

Luke 23:39-41  And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.  (40)  But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?  (41)  And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

 

Psalms 36:1  The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.

 

a.  The Fear of the Lord is the difference between Heaven and Hell.

 

b.  The Fear of the Lord is the difference between Reward and Recompense.

 

Conclusion:  Hebrews 12:29  For our God is a consuming fire.  (God is not to be “trifled with!”)

The Fruit of The Spirit: Goodness

Temple Baptist Church - 10-4-2020

Galatians 5:22

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  If the inward is not right (love, joy, peace), the outward and upward cannot be right.  So, not everyone in our church this morning has the inward right.  Right?  Right!

 

B.  Each of us also has the first and second aspect of the outward Fruit of the Spirit right also.  Right?  Right!

 

C.  The third aspect of our outward Fruit of the Spirit is goodness.  Longsuffering, gentleness, goodness.  I want to define the word “goodness.”

 

GOOD'NESS, n.  The state of being good; the physical qualities which constitute value, excellence, or perfection; as the goodness of timber; the goodness of a soil.

1.  The moral qualities which constitute Christian excellence; moral virtue; religion.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, and faith. Gal.5.

2.  Kindness; benevolence; benignity of heart; but more generally, acts of kindness; charity; humanity exercised. I shall remember his goodness to me with gratitude.

3.  Kindness; benevolence of nature; mercy.

The Lord God--abundant in goodness and truth. Ex.34.

4. Kindness; favor shown; acts of benevolence, compassion, or mercy.

 

1.  You can have an outward “goodness” without having an inward “goodness.”

 

a.  As far as salvation is concerned, there is none good - Romans 3:10-12  As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:  There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

 

          1)  We live in days of desperately wicked hearts. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

 

2)  We live in days of little “goodness” expressed.  People of our day have become calloused to some degree and there is a lot of wickedness going on.  Few have the Old School “scruples” that we were raised with.

 

b.  As far as being a good neighbor, there are still some - Romans 5:7  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

 

2.  But you cannot have an inward “goodness” without having an outward “goodness.”  An inward “goodness” will always produce an outward “goodness”

 

a.  Goodness Is An Attribute Of The Lord (First Mention) - Exodus 18:9  And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

Exodus 33:19  And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

1 Chronicles 16:34  O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

 

b.  It Is A Fruit Of The Spirit (Speaking of Barnabus) - Acts 11:24  For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.

I Will Pull This Verse Out Of Context To Make A Point - Philippians 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

 

1.  The Example of Good.  The word “goodness” is found in 51x in the Bible and 42 of those mentions call our attention to the “goodness” of God, not man.

 

a.  God is good to Israel - First Mention - Exodus 18:9  And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

 

b.  God is good to the Child of God - Psalms 23:6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

 

c.  God is good to the Sinner - Romans 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

 

d.  God’s goodness and kindness to the Body, the Church – The Last Mention - 2 Thessalonians 1:10-12  When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.  (11)  Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:  (12)  That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

e.  The First Mention and the Last Mention are always consistent.  God is good to His People in both Old and New Testaments.  The old saying, “God is good all the time,” says it all.

 

2.  The Experiencing of Good.  The Lord Has Been So Good To Us! 

 

a.  He Has Been Good In Our Sinfulness - Psalms 25:7  Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.

 

b.  He Has Been Good In Our Trials - Psalms 27:13  I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

 

Psalms 124:1-8   If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say;  If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us:  If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us:  Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:  Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.  Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.  Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.  Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

 

c.  He Has Been Good Through Out Our Lives - Psalms 23:6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

 

Psalms 65:11  Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.

 

3.  The Excellence of Good.

 

a.  The Proving of Good - Romans 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

 

b.  The Cleaving of Good - Romans 12:9  Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

 

c.  The Overcoming of Good - Romans 12:21  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

 

d.  The Testimony of Good - Romans 13:3  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

 

e.  The Following of Good - 1 Thessalonians 5:15  See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

 

f.  The Maintaining of Good - 1 Thessalonians 5:21  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

 

g.  The Protection of Good - 1 Peter 3:13  And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

 

h.  The Peace of Good - 1 Peter 3:13  And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

 

4.  The Evidence of Good.  “longsuffering, gentleness, goodness”

 

Golden Rule – “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”

 

a.  Be Good to the Brethren - Romans 15:14  And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

 

b.  Be Good to the Unsaved - Galatians 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

 

c.  Be Good to your Enemies - Luke 6:27  But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

 

d.  Be Good to those in Authority - Romans 13:3  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: