Daniel's Vision of the Coming King, Part 3

Father, we thank you, Lord, for tonight and the opportunity you give us to study your Word. We are a blessed people. We thank you, Lord, that you have put into print the visions of Daniel, that he wrote these things down, and that we're able to read them, study them, and that, Lord, we have all 66 books to examine and come to grips with the end of the world and how you've designed it to follow the pattern that you have preordained.

So we thank you for that, and we pray, Lord, that tonight, as we understand more and more about your coming again and the events surrounding that, that you give us wisdom and discernment that we might know how to live for the glory of our King, who is soon going to come, as you have said. In Jesus' name, amen. Daniel chapter 7. Daniel chapter 7, the one chapter in the Old Testament that gives you a panoramic view of the time of Daniel, the times of the Gentiles that began with Israel being taken into Babylonian captivity, all the way until the King comes again, sets up his kingdom, and will reign forever.

The only chapter that comes close to that is Revelation 12. Revelation 12 doesn't begin with the times of the Gentiles. It begins at the very beginning in the book of Genesis.

It takes you all the way to the end of the tribulation. And that's Genesis chapter, I mean, Revelation chapter 12. But Daniel 7 is a chapter in the Bible that gives you a panoramic view of the end of the world.

There are 27 books in the New Testament, okay? Of those 27 books, you need to understand that there are 23 of them that have specific references to the second coming of the Messiah. 23 out of 27 specifically talk about the return of the King. The other four, Philemon, Galatians, second and third John, there are two of those that make reference to a second coming implicitly, not explicitly.

And that's second John 8 and Galatians 5 verse number 5. So there are only two books in the New Testament that don't say anything about the return of the King. That tells you how important prophecy was to the New Testament writers. Yes, it was inspired by God.

Yes, it was God's Spirit that moved these men to write. But the Lord wanted you to know about the end. He wanted you to know that He was going to come again.

And He wants you to come to grips with that because it is the apex of human history. Remember, the apex of redemptive history is the cross. The apex of human history is the coming of the Messiah to set up His kingdom and rule and reign.

Now, just to give you a taste of how all that comes together and try to answer some questions that you might be asked at different times, let me show you about what the New Testament says concerning the coming of the King. Daniel 7, 13 and 14 are the key verses in this chapter. Daniel 7, 13 and 14 say very clearly these words, I kept looking in the night visions and behold, with the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man was coming and he came up to the ancient of days and was presented before him.

And to him was given dominion and glory in a kingdom that all the people's nations and men of every language might serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away. And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.

That is the central focus of Daniel chapter 7. But the emphasis on the coming of the son of man is the emphasis of the New Testament. If you got your Bible, turn to Matthew chapter 24. Matthew 24 is what is commonly called the Olivet Discourse.

All right. There is a question that's asked of our Lord. And Matthew 24 is the longest answer in the Bible to any question asked of our Lord.

So our Lord is going to make sure that 23 out of 27 New Testament books speak about a second coming. He's going to make sure that when He's asked a question about His coming again, He will spend more time answering that question with the longest answer than any other question He's ever asked. To point to the significance of His coming again.

It's unfortunate that today we minimize His return. We don't like to spend a lot of time talking about the return of the King. But Jesus did.

In fact, 50 different times it says that we need to be ready for His coming. Our Lord referred to His coming 21 different times in the Scriptures. We told you on Sunday that outside the topic of faith, the number one topic in the Bible is the second coming of the Messiah.

But why is it we don't like to study the second coming of the Messiah? Why is it we shy away from those things? Why is it when we read about the return of the King and all the events surrounding that, we have very little interest in it when Christ puts so much emphasis on it? And so in Matthew 24, He gets asked a question. The Bible says in verse 37 of chapter 23 of Matthew, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her, how often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you are unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate.

At the end of Christ's ministry, it's no longer my father's house. It's your house. And therefore, it's being abandoned unto ruin.

Then He says this, for I say to you, from now on, you will not see me until you say, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. He doesn't say, unless you say, He says, until you say. In other words, they're going to say this, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Now, they've already said it on Monday, when He rode into Jerusalem on the back side of a donkey. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, Psalm 118, verse number 24. So they use that phrase from the Old Testament to recognize Christ as their King.

But because He didn't do what they wanted Him to do, that is, didn't set up His kingdom, they would crucify Him on Friday of this week. And so, He's answering these questions all throughout the week. And now He's about to go up to the Mount of Olives to instruct His men about the things concerning the kingdom.

So it says in verse number 24, or chapter 24, verse number 1, Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. And He said to them, do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down. He gave a prophecy about how these stones will be torn down and not one stone will be left upon another.

Those of you who've been to Israel with me, we can see that exact location. We can show you the stones that are piled up and the Jews are not going to remove them. Why? Because it adds credence to the prophecy in their minds of young Yeshua, who was a prophet, not the Messiah.

But He prophesied that there was a temple on the Temple Mount that would be destroyed because the Muslim nation does not believe that there was a temple on the Temple Mount. And so they leave everything there just to prove that young Yeshua said the right thing concerning the prophecy of that temple. So it says in verse number 3, as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, His disciples came to Him privately saying, tell us when will these things happen? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? We want to know what's going to be the sign of your coming, what's going to be the end of the age? And this is when He launches off into this great discussion about the Olivet Discourse and talking about the coming of the Messiah.

He talks about it in verses 4 and says there's going to be immeasurable deception. There's going to be international disorder in verse number 5. There's going to be inevitable devastation with earthquakes and famines. There'll be inescapable death in verse number 9. There'll be innumerable defections from the faith and there will be instantaneous declaration of the gospel that's going to be preached.

He gives all that in those first few verses as He begins to answer their question. Now there are many people who believe that what Jesus says in Matthew 24 happened in 70 A.D. at the destruction of the temple on the Temple Mount, okay? And so they try to fit everything that Jesus says into what took place in 70 A.D. They're called all millennialists. They don't believe in a literal 1,000-year reign of Christ upon the earth.

They believe that the church has replaced Israel. It's called replacement theology and that all the promises given to Israel now will be fulfilled in the church, okay? The problem with that is is that the verses they use to prove their point are very, very weak. It's called the preterist view.

It's from a Latin word meaning past. And so they say that all the prophecies in Matthew 24 are already past. They already took place in 70 A.D. But there's major problems with that when you look at the text and you begin to understand all that truly took place in 70 A.D. The very first one is this.

And that is you need to understand that they will say that the book of Revelation is all allegorical. And they will tell you that the book of Revelation has an early date at writing somewhere in the 60s, 60 A.D., before 70 A.D. There's a problem with that. Why? Because John was on the Isle of Patmos when he received the vision of Revelation and all that God had to say in 96 A.D. Well, how do we know that? Because John wasn't imprisoned under Vespasian who was the ruler in Rome in 70 A.D. Domitian was a ruler in Rome between 81 and 96 A.D. And he was exiled under the reign of Domitian, not under the reign of Vespasian.

That's how you know that there's a later date for the writing of Revelation than an earlier date of the writing of Revelation. Very important to understanding why people have an all-millennial view. But they also use verses to prove their point.

They have three main verses. I'm going to give them to you this evening. Three main verses the all-millennials use to prove that what took place in Matthew 24 took place in 70 A.D. Okay, the first one is Matthew 10 in verse number 23.

Matthew 10 verse number 23 which says, But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next. For truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes. This is the very first verse they use to prove the point that what took place in Matthew 24 all took place in 70 A.D. Because they believe that Israel, the cities of Israel, will not all be reached in the time of the disciples.

The problem is, is that Matthew 10 does not speak of any of the events of 70 A.D. or Matthew chapter 24 that deal with the end of the age. So it's really kind of a weak argument. But then they go to Matthew chapter 16 and they say, well read this because this proves that everything took place in 70 A.D. when it says these words.

Talks about the cost of discipleship. And it says in verse number 27, For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels and will then repay every man according to his deeds. They say that the Son of Man is going to come again.

And then it says in verse number 28, truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. So they say, see right there it says that you're not going to taste death until you see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. And that would took place in 70 A.D. as he establishes his kingdom in the hearts of his people.

Well, that's not what it says, but that's how they interpret it. The problem with that is, is that kingdom can be translated royal splendor. All right.

And we know in Mark's account, Luke's account and Matthew's account, the event that follows this statement is the Mount of Transfiguration. And on the Mount of Transfiguration, Christ unzipped his glory, right? And the glory of the Lord would shine forth and they would get a glimpse of the coming kingdom because Moses was there. Elijah was there, the giver of the law and the prophet who was the guardian of the law.

And Christ was there showing his magnificent glory. And if you read second Peter chapter one, Peter tells you, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. Where? On the Mount of Transfiguration.

So Peter affirms that he, John and Peter, James and John were those three of the some, it says, not all disciples, but some of them would see the glory of his majesty. And that happened on the Mount of Transfiguration. And then the third verse they use, which is their strongest argument, is found in Matthew chapter 24, verse number 34, which says, truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.

And they will say, this generation, the disciples will not pass away until all these things take place. So all these things would take place in 70 AD and they would all still be alive. The problem with that is, is that this, the phrase this generation is used 16 times in the scriptures.

And of those 16 times in the New Testament, it always refers to Israel's history. Okay. Genos or Genea could be translated race, this race.

Okay. Not just this generation, but this race. What's the race? Remember, there are only two races in the world, Jew and Gentile.

Black is not a race. White is not a race. Okay.

There are only two races in scripture, Jew and Gentile. That's it. So when you get off on these tangents that people go off on, on, on, on race and racism, they don't understand what the Bible says concerning race.

There's only two races in the entire world. One race is Jewish. The other race is Gentile.

Okay. So let's make sure you understand that. And so Genos or Genea can be translated race.

And therefore this race, this Jewish race will not pass away until these things take place. And in Jeremiah 31, we had the promise that Israel will not, the covenants of Israel will last as the stars of the sky and as the sun that shines. And so there's that guarantee that these things are going to take place.

So therefore you need to understand that Matthew 24, the Olivet Discourse, it speaks of the son of man coming in all of his glory and all of his splendor. And Christ gives all these events that are going to line up until he's going to come. And they all parallel the six seals in the book of Revelation.

So all that Jesus says parallels what John will see in the book of Revelation when it comes to understanding the end times. All that's very important because a lot of people today are all millennial. That is, the kingdom of God is in your heart.

There is no literal 1000 year reign of Christ upon the earth. And therefore what took place, what Jesus said in Matthew 24, all took place in 70 AD. The problem with that is, is that if you read what Jesus said, it didn't happen in 70 AD.

And the gospel has not gone to all the parts of the world. As he says, it will happen during the tribulation because there's an angel that flies around in mid heaven. And there are two witnesses that preach the gospel.

And there are 144,000 Jewish evangelists who get saved and preach the gospel. And it will go to the ends of the earth. That only happens during the tribulational period.

Didn't happen during the time of the disciples in that generation. So that's just food for thought to help you understand that when we talk about the coming of the Messiah, we realize that there's, he's going to come. He's going to set up his kingdom.

He's going to rule and reign for a thousand years upon this earth. Six times in Revelation 20, it says a thousand years. We told you that all the numbers of the book of Revelation are all literal numbers, not figurative numbers.

They're literal numbers. And they explain to you the time element involved. That's very, very important when it comes to biblical interpretation.

And so the Bible interprets the Bible. So when you want to know what a verse means, well, how is that word or that verse or that phrase used in other parts and other contexts throughout the scriptures so that you can cross-reference exactly what is being said. So you understand those things in the context in which you're reading them.

And so Jesus speaks about his coming and he gives the longest answer to any question in Matthew 24 on the Mount of Olives. On that Eve, when the soldiers would come and get the Messiah, he would make sure they understood what was going to happen. And then in Acts chapter 1, remember Acts chapter 1, the disciples were concerned.

He spent 40 days after his resurrection talking to them about things pertaining to the kingdom of God. 40 days, he's going to speak to them about things pertaining the kingdom, the glorious kingdom of God. So what's the natural question they ask? Is it now you're going to restore the kingdom to Israel? So he spends 40 days talking to his disciples about the coming kingdom of God.

So much so that they are so ecstatic about his coming, they say, okay, now is now the time. Is it going to happen now? And Jesus' response is this. He says, it is not for you to know times or epics, which the father has fixed by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.

And you should be my witnesses, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest parts of the earth. Then he's caught up into the clouds and he ascends up into glory. He says, listen, very simply this, do not be concerned about ruling with me in eternity, but revealing me to humanity.

You're going to be my witnesses and you've got to tell people about the coming kingdom of God. And then if you go over to the book of 2nd Thessalonians, Christ says this through the pen of the apostle Paul, he says in verse number six, for after all, it is only just for God to repay with affliction, those who afflict you and to give relief to you who are afflicted. And to us as well, when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when he comes to be glorified in his saints on that day and to be marveled at among all who have believed. And then of course, you know, Jude, Jude 14 and 15, behold, the Lord came with many thousands of his holy ones to execute judgment upon all and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds, which they have done in an ungodly way and of all the harsh things, which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. Jude tells us what Enoch prophesied way back in Genesis chapter five about the second coming of the Messiah.

He did not know there were two comings of the Messiah. He only saw the coming of the Messiah based on what God had told him. And that's what he prophesied.

Jude tells us what he says. And he prophesied about the second coming of the Messiah. And then of course, all throughout the book of Revelation, specifically Revelation 19, our Lord is revealed from heaven and he comes with all of his holy ones, as Jude says in Jude 14 and 15, and he comes, he defeats the Antichrist, he defeats his armies, he sets up his kingdom, and he rules and reigns for a thousand years.

All that to say is that there is so much in Scripture concerning the second coming of the Messiah, we need to be more in tune with what it says. Because this is our anticipation. This is our motivation.

This is what causes us to live a pure and holy life. The clearer you see the future, the cleaner you stand in the present. It's just that simple.

If you don't see the future, you won't stand clean in the present. Why? Because you're not living in anticipation of the coming of the Messiah, knowing that he could come back at any moment, and you're anticipating that. So having said that, go back with me to Daniel chapter 7. Daniel chapter 7. You have to realize that when it comes to prophecy, I have so much in my head that I want to say, and I know that some of it confuses you.

That's okay. Next Wednesday night, I'm going to answer some of your questions. So make sure you come with your questions next Wednesday night, so that I can answer what you have to ask about the second coming of the Messiah.

Okay? So whatever question you have, write it down. Bring it with you next Wednesday night, and we'll address those issues for you, so we can clear up any cobwebs that are collecting in your proverbial brain. Okay? Very important to understand that.

Now Daniel chapter 7, we realize that this vision comes in the first year of Belshazzar. So we're going backwards in time, right? Next week, or two weeks from now, Daniel chapter 8, what's going to happen is that in Daniel 8, he's going to receive a vision in the third year of Belshazzar. So again, you're not cut out to time yet.

You're still going back in time, because these took place during the reign of Belshazzar, when Babylon was still ruling the world. And so you need to understand that. And so he gets his vision, and we talked to you about the arrival of the king, right? That's in verses 13 and 14.

And we talked about the attributes of his kingdom, and what are the characteristics that describe the kingdom of God. We talked about that in verse number 14. And then last week, we began to look with you at the account of that coming kingdom.

What's going to transpire before the Messiah actually comes? What does Daniel actually see? And we told you, Daniel receives a vision. This vision parallels Daniel chapter 2. But in Daniel chapter 2, it was Nebuchadnezzar's dream. And in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, there was this colossal image, right? And it had a gold head, had silver chest and arms, and it had a bronze belly and thighs, and then iron legs, and then iron and clay feet.

And then in this vision that Daniel receives, it's all about beasts, bears, lions, leopards. Why? We told you last week, remember? Nebuchadnezzar's vision was from man's perspective. Daniel's vision in Daniel 7 is from God's perspective.

Daniel sees what he sees from his perspective as the kingdoms of this world being beautiful, transparent, strong, mighty. But from God's perspective, he sees the kingdoms of this world as beasts, ferocious, violent, sinful. So that's how God sees them.

That's why there's a difference in the two visions. But the account comes because it's very clear that when he receives his vision, Daniel says he sees one like a lion, one like a bear, one like a leopard. They weren't actual lions and bears and leopards, but they were like lions and bears and leopards.

And we know this because in the book of Revelation, the 13th chapter, what do you have is the beast himself is the one who, it says, these words, verse number 2, Revelation 13, and the beast which I saw was like a leopard and his feet were like those of a bear and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. So the vision that John sees of the beast that comes up out of the sea, out of the nations of the world, okay, has all the characteristics of the beasts of Daniel's vision in Daniel chapter 7. Now, the fourth beast in Daniel 7, he doesn't recognize. And that's because there's a uniqueness about that beast.

And it says these words back in Daniel 7 chapter, it says this, he says, after this, I kept looking in the night visions and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful, terrifying, and extremely strong and had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet. And it was different from all the beasts that were before it.

And it had 10 horns. So if you parallel Daniel 2 with Daniel 7, with Revelation 13, with Revelation 17, you begin to understand that these empires, first one was Babylon, second one was Medo-Persia, third one was Greece, the fourth one was Rome, and the 10 toes are equal to the 10 kings. Remember 10 is a number of what? Anybody remember? Totality, right? You have 10 toes on your feet.

You have 10 fingers on your hands. A total number of hands and feet or toes and fingers are the number 10. And so there's this totality that speaks of the fact of this world empire that's going to rise out of this fourth beast.

Most commentators will believe it's a revival of the Roman empire. And so if you were given this sermon in the 70s, that's when I heard a lot of my prophecy sermons in the 70s, they would tell you that there are going to be 10 kings. There's going to be a 10 nation confederacy.

And they would tell you that there are 10 countries that make up the European common market. Because in the 70s, there were, right? And so all the people that have prophecy are really excited because, wow, there are 10 nations in the European common market, and there's going to be a revival of the Roman empire, and it's going to be in Europe. And boy, we're right on the cusp of Jesus coming again.

Well, that was in 1974, 5, 6, and 7, okay? Well, now it's 2021. And there are a lot, oh, it's 2022, yeah, sorry. Well, see, you guys are way ahead of me, 2022.

And there are a lot more nations and not more members of the European common market than just 10. I think there's 27 of them today, okay? So what does that mean? Well, if the number 10 is the number of totality, do I believe there are going to be 10 kings? Yes. Do I believe the 10 kings are the 10 toes of Daniel chapter 2? Yes, okay? Is the stone that crushes the 10 toes in Daniel 2 the Messiah? Yes, we've already proved that to you.

Is the Messiah going to come and crush the 10 kings? Yes, he is. It's in the book of Revelation. Do I believe there are going to be 10 kings? Yes.

Do I believe there are going to be 10 nations that rule? Maybe. There are definitely going to be 10 kings that rule in the end, because in Daniel's vision, this is what he sees. He saw it in Nebuchadnezzar's vision.

He sees it here. Go to book of Revelation, same thing. There are 10 kings.

There are 10 diadems. The beast has seven heads. Remember that? And so all that comes into play.

So some way, somehow, what's going to happen in the European countries is that there's going to be 10 rulers, 10 kings, 10 people that are going to be in charge. And that's what's going to take place with the revival of the Roman Empire. Why? Because the first part of all that takes place in the tribulation is going to happen in Rome.

The second half, what takes place in tribulation, the authority will be in a place called Babylon. Okay? So if you go through the history of the book of Revelation and understand how things play out, it begins in Rome with the leadership of the Antichrist and these 10 kings, and it transfers its power to Babylon. So when you come to Revelation 18, everybody laments because Babylon has fallen.

And then in Revelation 19, of course, the king comes again. You still with me? I feel like, man, I am so lost. That's okay.

Come next week. You can ask me your questions. All right? So this is very important.

Why? Because what's going to happen is that you need to understand what Daniel asks. He asks for clarification on the fourth beast. He doesn't understand.

He makes it very clear with these words. He says, while I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little horn came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it. And behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts.

He's confused. So in verse 15, as for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my mind kept alarming me. I approached one of those who were standing by and began asking him the exact meaning of all this.

So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things. These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth. We saw that in Daniel 2. We know exactly who they're going to be and who they are based on not history alone, but even in Revelation chapter 17.

So he says, but the saints of the highest one will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come. Then I decided to know the exact meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and which devoured, crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its feet. Now we understand that because we have Revelation 13, because the beast is like a bear, a lion, and a leopard, because he's got all those characteristics in his leadership.

And so Daniel's very confused as to what he sees. And so it says these words, and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, and before which three of them fell, namely that horn which had eyes and a mouth uttering great boasts, and which was larger in appearance than its associates. I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints, and overpowering them, until the ancient of days came, and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the highest one.

And the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom. Thus he said, the fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms, and will devour the whole earth, and tread it down, and crush it. As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise, and another will arise after them.

And he will be different from the previous ones, and will subdue the three kings. He will speak out against the most high, and wear down the saints of the highest one. And he will intend to make alterations in times and in the law, and they will be given into his hand for a time, times and a half a time.

But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated, and destroyed forever. And the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the highest one. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey him.

Then it says at this point, the revelation ended. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were greatly alarming me, and my face grew pale, but I kept the matter to myself. There's going to be four nations, four kingdoms, Babylon in which he's in, right? There's going to be the Medo-Persians that are going to come overnight and destroy Babylon.

That hasn't happened yet in Daniel chapter 7. Why? Because this is all given to him in the first year of the reign of Belshazzar. And then from there comes the Grecian Empire, from there comes the Roman Empire. That's why the angel says the kingdom that you saw that was so ferocious is the fourth kingdom, because he was in the Babylonian kingdom.

This is the fourth kingdom. And the fourth kingdom will be a revival of the Roman Empire, and they'll be made up of ten kings. And this one king will sprout up.

In fact, the text says these words, it says, the little horn came up among them, this is verse number 8, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it. And behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts. There's going to be ten kings, ten nations that are going to rule in this final kingdom form.

There's going to be one king that rises up and devours three kings. Okay? Evidently, there's a triumphant of people who are more powerful than others, but he rises up. And he rises up in a way in which he kind of pushes himself up through them in a very unique and special way, and then ends up devouring them so that he becomes the ruler of all the kings.

That's how he does it. Very important. We see that in Revelation 13 and in Revelation 17 with the Antichrist.

And so what Daniel does is give us the characteristics of this Antichrist. So let's begin by looking at that. Okay? First characteristic is of this.

Before you know anything about the Antichrist, you must know that he's going to be supernaturally strengthened, supernaturally strengthened by Satan himself. How do we know that? Well, the Bible tells us in the book of Revelation, the thirteenth chapter, that the dragon gave him his power and his throne and gave him great authority. Over in 2 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians chapter two, verse four, this man of lawlessness, 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, displaying himself as being God.

It says in verse number eight, the 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 who is coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness of those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. So, we know that whoever the Antichrist is, he will be supernaturally strengthened by Satan himself.

The dragon, who is Satan, is going to possess this man. Either he's going to be demon possessed, Satan himself possesses him, but that's why he's going to have supernatural power. How is it the Antichrist is going to be able to convince the world of the church that's already gone? How is he going to do that? How can one man do that? How can anybody do that? Well, I have a theory about that because Jesus said very clearly in Luke's gospel, the 13th chapter, are there only a few being saved? That's the question Jesus asked.

Why? Because there's only a few being saved. I know we think that all these people around the world are getting saved. I don't think so.

You say, well, what about the multitudes of heaven around the throne that give praise to God, myriads upon myriads of myriads? How many millions of babies have been aborted over the years? They're all in glory, right? When Jesus says, are there only a few being saved? There's only a few being saved. Not everybody in churches like ours are saved, okay? Not everybody in the room tonight is saved, possibly, right? We just can't take for granted that just because you go to church, you're born again, you're on your way to glory. We don't know that.

The Lord does. So I don't think it's going to be too difficult for the Antichrist to convince the world why the church is gone. There's going to be a false church, by the way.

A false church is going to rise to leadership, and all the world is going to be around that and worship that, and the Antichrist is going to be wanting to be worshiped, and everybody's going to worship the Antichrist. But because He is with all deception, all wickedness, all signs, all wonders, because He is supernaturally strengthened by Satan himself, He will be able to convince the world that the true religion is still here. The true religion, those who left, they were unbelievers.

They wouldn't adhere to the laws of the land. However He convinces them, He convinces them. But you must understand that the Antichrist will be supernaturally strengthened.

Number two, He will be politically prominent. Politically prominent. Verse number eight, horns plucked up by the roots.

In other words, it doesn't mean this is a devouring of those kings. He's going to squeeze some way, His way up there. How is He going to do this? Why is He politically prominent? Remember Revelation 6, verse number two, when the Antichrist comes, He comes on what? A white horse, right? When Messiah comes in Revelation 19, how does He come? White horse.

Why? Because the Antichrist is the false Christ. He is going to portray Himself as a Messiah. He comes with a bow, but no arrows, because He's a man of peace.

He is politically prominent. So He's going to rise to power through these ten kings. He comes in Revelation 6, verse number two, on the backside of a white horse, because He comes in peace.

Daniel 11 says this, verse number 21, and in His estate shall stand up a vile person to whom they shall not give honor of the kingdom, but He shall come peaceably and obtain the kingdom by flattery. What do politicians do? They flatter you, right? He's going to be politically prominent. He's going to be able to flatter you with His words.

Daniel 9, verse number 27, He shall confirm the covenant with many, that is the Jewish people, for one week. So whoever this Antichrist is, He's going to be able to confirm the treaties that have already been established for Israel for one week. When we get to Daniel 9, we'll show you that one week is the makeup of seven years.

So how is He going to be able to do that? Unless He's a politically prominent individual who was supernaturally strengthened by Satan himself. Number three, He will be intellectually insightful. Intellectually insightful, text says in verse number eight of chapter seven, He has eyes like the eyes of a man.

That's how you know the Antichrist, number one, is going to be a man. But number two, it talks about the eyes of a man, the eyes speak of insight and intelligence, and this person will be supremely intelligent, very smart, very eloquent, and he'll be able to speak in a way that is great insight to problems and how to solve those problems. Isn't it interesting that the world would love to have somebody come and solve the problem in Ukraine and Russia? Somebody can come in and just put it all on table and come up with some kind of peace treaty to make it all happen.

This person is so politically prominent that He's going to make peace with Israel, confirm the peace pact with Israel. So much so, they're going to build a temple for Him because they think He's the Messiah. They're going to build the temple for the anti-Messiah, and they're going to live in peace, unwalled villages, as Ezekiel 38 said, we talked about on Sunday, because of this anti-Messiah who they think is the Messiah that they've built this temple for.

And remember, all the furnishing for the temple is already complete. All the garments for the priest have already been made. Everything in Israel's done.

All you got to do is build the temple on the temple mount. That's it. So everything's ready to go.

All you need is a Messiah. And so, this anti-Messiah will convince them through this peace treaty that He is their Messiah, and they'll build the temple for Him, and He'll make peace with them, confirm that covenant for seven years. In the middle of that, He commits what's called the abomination of desolation, which Daniel speaks of in Daniel 9, and Christ referred to as in Matthew 24 about the abomination of desolation.

By the way, that's why it's important to realize that Matthew 24 could not have happened in 70 AD, because the abomination of desolation where the Antichrist, the false Christ, sets Himself up as the Messiah to be worshiped did not happen in 70 AD. Very easy to understand that. I don't know how these theologians come up with all these wrong ideas about all millennialism and post-millennialism.

You know, the Bible is very clear on the coming of the Messiah, and the Lord wants us to understand all those things. So, He's going to be supernaturally strengthened, politically prominent, intellectually insightful. How about this one? Oratorically overwhelming.

That is, it says He has a mouth, verse 20, verse 8, sorry, speaking great boasts. Verse number 25, great words He'll speak against the most high. Revelation 13, 5 says He has a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies.

So, oratorically, He's going to be overwhelming and offensive. He's going to blaspheme the name of God. He's going to speak against the true God.

At the same time, be able to boast great things about why He should be followed and no one else should be. Number five, He will be militarily mighty. The Bible says in chapter 7 of Daniel, verse number 23, He should devour the whole earth and shall tread it down and break it into pieces.

Verse 21, He'll make war with the saints, He'll prevail against them. So much so that in Revelation 13, the cry will be, who is like the beast and who is able to make war with him? In other words, the whole cry will be, who is like the beast? Who can make war with this guy? He's unbelievable. Why? Because He's militarily mighty.

On top of that, number six, He's economically exceptional. In other words, He knows everything there is to know about money. He knows everything there is to know about how to manage your money.

He knows everything you know about how to spend your money. He knows everything on how to gather together so that we have a one world currency. If you read the book of Revelation, we're all going to be able to buy and sell only one way.

That's if you have the mark of the beast. He's going to come up with all these ideas and people are going to fall right in line. Why? Because He's going to have the answer to all the world's economic stress.

Read Revelation 17, Revelation 18, the world during the tribulation will see a tremendous economic boom. It will happen in the realm of the Antichrist, because He knows how to lie, deceive, because He's very shrewd and very deceitful. He'll be economically exceptional.

Number seven, He'll be religiously ruthless. Religiously ruthless. Why? Because it's a false religion.

It's not a true religion. Revelation 17, there's a religion. It's called the harlot.

The beast lets the harlot ride him. The false religion is described as a harlot. Why? Because it's the prostitution of true religion.

It's not a real religion. It's a fake religion based on immorality, based on idolatry. And so therefore, the plan will be for the Antichrist to set himself up as ruler.

That's why He devours. He devours the harlot, destroys her. Why? Because we told you last week, it's not enough to have political power.

It's not enough to have military power. You must have religious power. Those three things make up the essence of all power.

And the only way for Him to have religious power is to destroy the false prophet. And once He destroys a false prophet in Revelation 17 and devours her, that's when He sets Himself up to be worshipped as the only true God to the only true religion that there is. That's why we say He's religiously ruthless.

The Bible says that He speaks against the Most High God. It says in January 7, verse number 25, He's going to change the times and the laws. Well, what's that mean? What do you mean He's going to change the times and the laws? Well, no one really knows except for the fact that He's going to change everything that the law of God says morally and everything the law of God says about religious.

He's going to change all that. He's going to make up His own laws so that everybody follows His laws. That's what He wants to see happen.

But ultimately, He'll be undone. Why? Because the Bible tells us very simply in Daniel chapter 12, verse number… 17, verse number 11, excuse me, 12, verse number 11, and from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away and the abomination that make a desolate set up, there shall be 1,290 days. In other words, it'll be three and a half years, and that's it.

Why? Because in the end, He is going to be destroyed. The Bible tells us in the book of Revelation, very simply in Revelation chapter 19, that when Christ returns, it says these words, and I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him and sat on the horse and against His army. And the beast was seized, and within the false prophet who performed the signs in His presence by which He deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worship the image of the beast.

And those two were thrown alive into the lake of fire, which burns with brimstone, and the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds are filled with all their flesh. He will be ultimately undone. Why? Because He can't win.

Satan can't win. See, the problem is Satan thinks he can win. That's how deceitful Satan is.

He still believes that he can win. He still believes that if he can destroy the Jewish nation and kill every Jew that's ever existed in the tribulation, there's no reason for the Messiah to come back. That's his plan.

Now, he can't do that, so he goes after all those who came to faith because of the Jewish nation. That's the Gentiles. That's Revelation chapter 12.

He goes after all of them to destroy them. And how does He kill you in the tribulation? Revelation 20 says He cuts off your head. You'll be beheaded.

That's how you die in the tribulation if you don't denounce the true Messiah and worship the false Messiah. But all that's coming. The church is not going to be here.

We're going to be raptured out of here. We're going to be translated out of here. There are so many verses that prove that all throughout the Scriptures.

But yet we realize, as Daniel did, this made him pale, recognizing all this was happening to his people Israel. They've been in Babylonian captivity all these years, right? They're at the end of that captivity. It's soon going to come.

But now all he sees is devastation. Now all he sees is death. Oh yes, the Messiah is going to come in Daniel chapter 7. But when you come to Daniel 7 verse number 9, it says these words, I kept looking until thrones were set up and the Ancient of Days took his seat.

This is the judgment that's going to come. Daniel 7 verses 9 and 10 verses 13 to 14 are seen more clearly in Revelation 4 and in Revelation chapter 5. In Revelation chapter 5, the Messiah is seen as a land that was slain. In Daniel chapter 7, the Messiah is the Son of Man coming on great clouds of glory.

Both are true. The Son of Man came to be slain, right? And that's why John sees Him as a land that had been slain. But Daniel sees Him as the Son of Man coming in all of His glory.

And that's when the judgment occurs. The question is, where does that judgment take place? What happens during that judgment? And how is it that Christ actually does set up His kingdom? So we're not done with Daniel chapter 7 yet. We need to come back and answer some of the questions that you might have, plus kind of fill in the blanks for you, so you begin to understand all that took place, or it's going to take place, when Jesus Christ comes again.

My friends, this is where the world's going. This is the apex of human history. This is what you need to understand, more so than any other doctrine in Scripture.

You need to understand the doctrine of the end times. Eschatology is absolutely crucial to living a life of faith today. You must know where everything is going so you can tell people who you love and admire.

This is where we're going. This is how you know where you can be for sure, where you will end up when it's all said and done. Let me pray with you.

Father, we thank You, Lord, for tonight and the opportunity to spend time in Your Word. Lord, so much to say, so little time to say it. Our prayer, Father, is that through the clarity of Your Word, we'd be able to see more and more of what it means to unfold before our eyes, that we might truly believe in all that it says concerning Your coming.

Father, we have loved ones who do not know You. We have friends who do not know You, who need to come to grips with the fact that they need to give their life to Christ today, not tomorrow, that they might be able to enjoy the beauty of what's going to happen in the future and the assurance and the security that fills all of that simply because we know who You are, what You've done, and what You're going to do. Lord, help solidify these things in our minds.

Teach us that we might be able to teach others. In Jesus' name, amen.