The Departure Before the Day of the Lord

Transcript

GR 40
6/02/1974

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Gil Rugh

Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you 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. For let no one in any way deceive you. For it will not come lest the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above any so-called God or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being 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. 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 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 for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason, God will send upon a deluding influence upon them so that they will believe what is false, in order that they may all be judged that did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

2 Thessalonians, chapter 2. 2 Thessalonians and the 2nd chapter. We will try to cover a portion of what we read for our scripture reading. Primarily, the first 5 verses of chapter 2, and we’ll try to leave some time at the end for any questions or comments that you might have.
Noted previously 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 was one of the outstanding prophetic chapters in scripture, and some of the material covered in chapter 2 of 2 Thessalonians is not covered in this same way anywhere else in scripture. So, it's essential to have a good grasp of this portion of the word, so that the overall prophetic picture fits into place.

Chapter 2 is the real reason for Paul’s writing this letter. We’ll be seeing something of that as we look through the portion this evening.
Okay, beginning with verse 1. Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him. We request you; that’s a strong word, translated often, beseech, you. He has strong desire in this area. And he's addressing the brethren, so he's addressing other believers. And the foundation of his request and this discussion is the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him. So we, he requests you on behalf, with regard to the coming of Christ and our gathering together to Him. The coming of Christ is the Greek word paruosia. We've talked about before. We've been mentioning these different words, ah, sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the evening. It refers to the coming of Christ. I mention it, it's distinguished from, apocalypse. Apocalypse, also referring to, the coming of Christ. The apocalypse, referring the revelation or unveiling, primarily referring to the second coming to earth. This is primarily to the rapture. So the coming of Christ to paruosia, referring to the rapture of the church, the apocalypse, the coming or the unveiling, primarily referring to the second coming to earth. And we'll be picking up this other word later on as well.

Alright, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him. And this refers, of course, to the rapture. Our gathering together to Him is what Paul wrote to them in 1 Thessalonians, chapter 4 where Christ comes down in the air and we are caught up to meet him in the clouds. So He comes and we’re caught up, gathered to meet Him. So referring to the rapture of the church, and that’s the last part of 1 Thessalonians, chapter 4. So that's the foundation upon which he's discussing with them. And it's important because the problem is the misunderstanding of the second coming of Christ and particularly the aspect of the second coming dealing with believers, the rapture of the church, and that's verse 2. 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. So, the purpose of his request is that they be not quickly shaken from your composure. Ah, interesting way it's put.
Literally in the Greek it would say that you be not quickly shaken from your mind. Composure gives the idea of don't lose your mind on this, don't lose your stability in this area. The stableness that you have in your mind, don't be shaken, or disturbed, the same idea. In other words, there's a danger that these Thessalonian Christians are going to become unsettled mentally with regard to their understanding of the doctrine of the second coming. And the problem is going to be that they'll forget. In verse 5, do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? Difficulty was that some were coming with new and different teaching then Paul had brought them and some of the Thessalonians were becoming unsettled. Paul said, remember what I told you. So don't be shaken from your mind or be disturbed either by spirit, a message or a letter.

Three things could be considered as a spirit, and I take it this would probably relate to someone who claimed to have a gift of prophesy, since Paul had told them in 1 Thessalonians 5:20, do not despise prophetic utterances. It may have been the danger that someone comes and claims, I have the gift of prophesy. And you fail to understand that you’re in the tribulation. This is the day of the Lord and they were unsettled. Maybe that’s right. He has the gift of prophesy, he ought to know. Well, if he really had the gift of prophesy, a spirit of prophesying, he wouldn’t be saying what is contrary to what God has already revealed, what Paul has already told them.
So don’t be shaken by a spirit or a message, the idea seeming to be a verbal message here. A word, literally, whereby a word, through a word. Someone would come and say, I’ve been talking to Paul. You know what Paul told me, his opinion is that we’re in the day of the Lord at Thessalonica. So someone claiming to have a word, a verbal message from the apostle Paul would seem to be the indication of the context. Don’t be shaken by that, or a letter, as if from us. And someone may have been flaunting a piece of paper, claiming that Paul wrote this. Here's a letter that I got from Paul and this is what he has to say. Well, you'd say, why would someone go to this trouble. I don’t know, but false teachers are willing to go to great pains to get followers for their false teaching. And if they could get the apostle Paul’s authority attached to what they had to say, well naturally these Thessalonians would go along with it. I mean, Paul was the one who had led them to the Lord in the first place. And now, someone was coming and unsettling them. Well, it seems that it's very deceptive. Perhaps we can understand how new Christians could be led astray. I mean, they're claiming that Paul had been the authority to what they had to say, either a spoken message or a written message. But Paul, as you noted in verse 5, is a soft rebuke; don't you remember, God doesn't change. And God doesn't change from what he told, ah, what I told you previously. So if you want to know if I really said it evaluate it in the light of what you already have. I take it we have here the pattern for examining all false teaching or true teaching. You sift it through the word. If it doesn’t measure up, you throw it out. Now, some Christians say, well it doesn't seem to quite fit, but…there are no buts. It doesn't fit it's not true.

Now, the message that they were getting was to the effect, the last part of verse 2; that the day of the Lord has come. Now we talked about the day of the Lord, somewhat, in 1 Thessalonians, chapter 5. Jot it down. Some of you weren't here. We're not going to look at the references. We looked at a number before. The top says, the day of the Lord. This is a pretty complete list of all the places where the expression; day of the Lord appears in the bible. And you may want to jot some of them down briefly, to look them up. You can take your Concordance and look them up yourself, or a book on prophesy. Pentacost, a book, “Things to Come”, has a note, and so on. In addition, there are some 75 references that refer to that day, or point to this period of time, the day of the Lord. So as you can see, the bulk of the references are Old Testament references. It's an Old Testament expression, but it's carried over and used in these four New Testament passages because the same time period is being talked about. But you go back to the Old Testament primarily to get the context of what we're talking about, and we're going to set that time period in just a moment.

Since art is not one of my better, I don't know, gifts, qualities, whatever. I'll take one of Leon Bates's charts and ah, it's prettier than mine, but it's no more accurate. I did get a red pen and a green pen, so I'll start to copy him. The day of the Lord encompasses this period of time that this particular chart shows, including the tribulation all the way to the great white throne and the creation of the new heavens and the new earth that occur at this point in time.
So the chart doesn't note the new heavens and the new earth.
2 Peter, chapter 3, verse 10; that was the last reference on ah, on which the references ah pertaining to the day of the Lord. Ah, involves the new heavens and the new earth.

So the day of the Lord is the expression that would cover this entire period of time. And you’ll note, the millennium, thousand-year millennium is included in this. Although, as we referred when we talked about it in I Thessalonians, chapter 5, the major emphases of the expression; the day of the Lord and the passages in which it is found is judgement. The judgements of God. And so usually when you use the expression; the day of the Lord, you’re thinking primarily of when God is going to visit the earth in judgement.

The tribulation forms a major part of that and God will be pouring out his wrath on the earth in judging unbelievers. And even during thousand-year millennium Christ will be ruling with a rod of iron, ah, then we have the great white throne, it’s judgement and then the new heavens and the new earth. When the earth is purged and cleansed for eternity.
So, you keep that in mind with the expression, the day of the Lord. Ah, broad expression. Although, the central idea is judgement. So, some are being told that the day of the Lord had come. Now, you'll note according to this, and we'll be discussing the details in a moment, the day of the Lord begins with the tribulation. So there's a problem. How could the Thessalonians be in the day of the Lord, when the day of the Lord doesn't begin until after the rapture? And that's what Paul wants to know. How could you be in the day of the Lord? Don't you remember what I told you. The day of the Lord is future.

Verse 3. Incidentally, King James in the text, the day of Christ. That's a different expression than the day of the Lord. The proper reading hear is the day of the Lord, as you have in the New American Standard version.

The day of Christ relates primarily to believers, and our hope and the rapture of the church. In distinction from the day of the Lord, which refers to this period of time which we have just noted. So, ah, that distinction and the two expressions. Verse 3. Ah, last part of verse 2, that expression; has come. Ah, it's a perfect tense. Number of you who have been taking Greek for the last year and so are up on these things, perfect tense, referring to somethings' that's happened in the past with the results continuing into the present.

So they believe the day of the Lord has come or they're being taught the day of the Lord has come. In other words, they're in it. It has already come. The result being they are in the day of the Lord now. So it's not that it's at hand, they're in it.

Let no one in any way deceive you. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come. Two things, it will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed. So, two things have to happen before the day of the Lord can come. First, the apostasy and then the revelation of the man of lawlessness. And, ah, the revelation is that word apocalypse, that we talked about here. Where the man of sin in unveiled, revealed. So here it's used of, ah, this false Christ.
Alright, first the apostasy has to come. So these are the two reasons why the Thessalonians couldn't be in the day of the Lord. First the apostasy has to come.

Now, the most common way of understanding this expression, this term apostasy, is that it refers to a future departure from the faith. And Paul wrote about the apostasy from the faith when he wrote to Timothy. And told him in the last days many shall depart from the faith. So that's our common understanding of the word apostasy. The word is a Greek word, apostasia is the Greek word. So you can see we've just carried the Greek word over into English, apostasia, apostasy. And the word does mean departure and it's true. In the last days there is going to be a departure from the faith.

We're very close to Timothy, so why don't you turn over to 1 Timothy 4. 1 Timothy is the next book after 2 Thessalonians. 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 1 Timothy 4, and verse 1. But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons. And so I'm talking about the false doctrines through the first 5 verses here. The verb in verse one, of 1 Timothy 4, some will fall away from the faith, is the verbal form. We have it in the noun form, apostasy, in 2 Thessalonians 2, verse 3. Here it’s the verbal form. We have the verb, to fall away, to depart. The verb is much more common in the New Testament than the noun. The noun appears twice and once in 2 Thessalonians 2, verse 3 and once in Acts, chapter 21, verse 21. The verb appears 15 times. I say this because we're going to be discussing simply what the verb means. Apostasy, is the word, apostasy, a terrible time. It's a noun in 2 Thessalonians 2 and the verb form in 1 Timothy. Some of you have been bringing your Greek bibles to service, in light of your study in the New Testament this past year. The root of the verb is aphistemi. And I say that so you don't pull your hair out when you run home and get out your Lexicon. It doesn't sound like apostasy. I've been waiting all night to use that. Eight years of Greek and you've got it, ah, tough to use it. Alright, apostasy. The word basically means departure. Now, my understanding is that in 2 Thessalonians 2, we're not talking about a departure from the faith. We're not talking about the apostasy from the faith that Paul talks about in 1 Thessalonians 4 because the word simply means departure, a moving away. The verb, you can take your Lexicon and follow it through, as used in the gospels and so on of moving away from a place. A person departing from one place to another. A removal. Now when Paul uses the verb in 1 Timothy, he qualifies it by the prepositional phrase, to fall away from the faith, or depart from the faith because the word simply means to depart or move away. Now what you’re departing from, the context determines. Paul was talking about the faith in 1 Timothy 4, so he adds that, many in the last days will depart from the faith. It's true. In the last days there will be a great apostasy. However, it would be hard for the Thessalonians to realize a distinction from the situation they were in. Here they are being persecuted, being abused for their faith, and Paul writes and says, well the tribulation can't be here because there has to be an apostasy. Well, if this isn't an apostasy, what is? However, we know from our perspective, the apostasy has invaded the church and that's the real problem. The church itself has apostatized from the faith.

However, I take it in verse 3, of 2 Thessalonians 2 unless the departure comes first, and it is definite, the article is here. Although, it wouldn't need to be, but when he uses the definite article, thee, ah, I take it that it's making it more specific, unless the departure comes first. Now, what is the only departure that he has talked about in this context? The departure of verse 1. The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him. That's the only departure he's talked about up to verse 3. So when he talks about the departure, seems to me in the context, we look for what departure. Well, the departure of the saints of earth to meet Christ in the air would be the simplest way to take it. So I think this is in evidence for the rapture before the tribulation. This alone might not prove it because not everyone would agree with this. But that's alright, it seems to be consistent, it would seem to fit. Paul has told them about the details of the rapture. He has explained this to them so it is right that he would expect them to know it and when he writes about the departure and the day of the Lord can't come until the departure comes. He has belabored that at the end of 1 Thessalonians 4, and then into the opening verses of chapter 5 where he told them they were not of darkness. That that day would come on them as a thief because they would be delivered from the wrath to come. They are not appointed to wrath, but to obtain salvation through Christ so, Paul says it ought to be obvious.

First, the day of the Lord cannot come until the departure. I take it here, it is the rapture of the church. The first thing then that will happen, the reason why the tribulation couldn't be here, is the rapture hasn't occurred. That's the next thing that has to happen in prophesy. There are no signs, there are no particular indicators that the rapture is coming. The rapture is next. Now, there are things that are going to go on in the tribulation, and we look ahead to see what these are going to be. We can perhaps see some of the forming of these events.

We'll be talking about them in a moment if time allows. So, you may have questions on that later as well, but my understanding is then that the word apostasy, since it's not a translated word, we'll have to go and find out what the word meant in Greek. And it means a departure. And that's what apostasy is to us today, only we use it more specifically of an apostasy from the faith.

Alright, that must come first. The next, second, reason why they could not be in the tribulation is that the man of lawlessness is to be revealed. The man of lawlessness an, King James again has the man of sin. Sin is lawlessness as 1 John tells us so, that's not incorrect, although, the correct translation is man of lawlessness. It's the word here without law.

The man of lawlessness is also called the son of destruction.
This morning we were talking about being in apposition. Well these two statements are in apposition. The man of lawlessness is the son of perdition, the same person. The man who was characterized by lawlessness, and we have lawless people today, we have always had lawless people, primarily lawless, in regard to God. But this man will be the culmination of lawlessness. The most lawless, godless person who has ever lived and the son perdition, his destiny is perdition, destruction. So he is titled the son of perdition because perdition is his outstanding characteristic. Because he is going to undergo destruction at the hand of Christ. Interestingly enough, this person, along with his false prophet, are the first people to inhabit Hell according to the book of Revelation. Even before Satan himself was cast into Hell, the false prophet and the beast are cast into Hell. So he has this dubious distinction of being the first person to take up eternal residence in Hell. The man of lawlessness, this is the one we title
the Antichrist. I use the term Antichrist, as some of you are aware, to refer to the political leader of the tribulation period. There are two prominent individuals in the tribulation. There’s a political leader we call him the Antichrist and there is a religious leader, who is the false prophet. Revelation 13, primarily deals with his ministry as a political ruler, the Antichrist, is something of what the bible says about this person, since he is very important.

The tribulation, and the day of the Lord does not come about until he is revealed. But you’ll note that the rapture comes first and the man of sin is unveiled. Then we go into the day of the Lord.

Back to the book of Daniel. Lay some background on this man without trying to take too much time this evening. We go over to chapter 7. You could jot down chapter 2, because chapter 2 discusses the same material, although it doesn't give the same amount of detail on this person. He gives his background with the ten kings from which he arises but doesn’t zero in on him. What’s happening in Daniel chapter 7, is Daniel has a vision. In this vision he sees the coming kingdom of the world. The same kingdom as Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream of the great image of chapter 2. And these kingdoms that he sees are Babylon, followed by the Medo- Persian empire, followed by Greece, followed by Rome. The first like a lion, and it stands then like a man, referred to Babylon, was the head of gold, in Nebuchadnezzar's image. In verse 5, another beast, resembling a bear. Raised up on one side, referring to the dominance of the Persian empire, ah. One side elevated. Even though it's the Medo- Persian empire, the Persians become the dominant element. It has three ribs in its mouth. Three kingdoms that it devoured in establishing itself. The bear is significant. The Persians used great lumbering armies. They didn’t sneak up on anyone. Everyone knew they were coming. They were slow lumbering armies. They were just so powerful they rode over everyone in their path.

Greece, in verse 6, was like a leopard and its lightning fast armies moving quickly. The fourth, the dreadful beast described in the same type of terms. A powerful empire, most powerful of all the empires, the empire of Rome.

Now, verse 7. After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beast that were before it, and it had ten horns. While I was contemplating the horns; and in Daniel’s discussion in chapter 2, they’re the ten toes of the image. So this final empire culminates in a ten-fold form. The ten horns here. Behold another horn, a little one, 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. Then he looked on to see the Ancient of Days and the establishing of the earthly kingdom of Christ. Again the same order. In Daniel, chapter 2, a stone cut without hands comes out, during this ten form, ten division kingdom and destroys the kingdom. Here in the kingdom of the ten kings and this one little horn, the kingdom of God is set up.

Alright, look over, verse 13, talks about the son of man coming to the Ancient of Days and again the possessing of the kingdom, which is an everlasting kingdom in verse 14. Verse 19, then I desired to know the exact meaning of the fourth beast, this dreadful beast. So powerful and strong, which was different from all others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, which devoured, crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its teeth, 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, 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 judgement was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom.
So, you'll note again, we're carried right up to the establishing of the earthly kingdom of Jesus Christ. So Daniel is concerned about this fourth kingdom. Verse 23, then he said, thus he said: angel interprets it to Daniel; the fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms, and it 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 three kings. And 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 law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. But the court will sit, his dominion will be taken away, annihilated, destroyed forever, and then the establishing of the eternal kingdom of God.

So, the interpretation is given. This final fourth kingdom is a very powerful kingdom. In its final form it has ten kings and out of these ten kings there arrives one who becomes prominent. He displaces three of the kings and so he controls in effect one third of this kingdom and he will become the most powerful person. And during his days Christ himself will intervene and establish the earthly kingdom. Now some have tried to see a fulfillment in history in this. Saying well, the fourth kingdom was Rome and sometime toward the end of the Roman empire these ten kings came with a powerful king and then it's all history. The problem is Jesus Christ has not yet physically come to earth and established his earthly kingdom. And that's going to happen during the time of these last ten kings. So it has to be yet future. And what we have is we have the picture of the earthly kingdom and we just don't have the church age in there.

The period of time in which we are now living is not found in the old
testament. So the prophecies of Daniel skip from the second coming ah, first coming of Christ down to the events surrounding the second coming. The tribulation and then the second coming to earth. And what the bible indicates is there is going to be a resurrection of the Roman empire. That's seen in that the fact these horns are on the head of the fourth empire.

In chapter 2 they are partly of iron. The continuation of the metal that characterizes the fourth empire. So it's a resurrection of the fourth empire. Only thing, it won't have the same power as that empire did because it won't be totally united. There will be ten divisions. But from within this ten-fold divided kingdom there will arise one man who is going to unite it for a period of three and one half years. That's brought out in the end of verse 25, in Daniel 7. There will be given into his hand for a time, times and a half time. And we don't have time this evening to follow this expression through the rest of Daniel and then into Revelation. But that comes out to be a period of 3h years. Time, times and a half time. You have 2 years and a half a year. And ah, the time, the times a plural. Ah, the duel in the Hebrew. Gives us one time, two times and then a half time. Three and a half years. The last 3h years the Antichrist will rule as world ruler.

So, the man of lawlessness is revealed. Now we have to look at Daniel 9, quickly. Because this points out that the day of the Lord does not begin until he is revealed. Because it's an act that he performs that marks the beginning of the seven-year tribulation. And Daniel chapter 7, chapter 9, we have the 70 weeks of Daniel. We're going to talk about this somewhat in ladies’ bible Study and then the men when they get there in our study of Matthew. Since we’re not taking time to do it this evening. In Daniel 9:24, 70 weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, and ah, what will be accomplished in these 70 weeks. And these 70 weeks are weeks of years. In other words, instead of being 7 days, they are 7 years. So you have 70 years times 70. 490 years are determined upon this people. Now 483 years have been accomplished. There is one seven-year period to be full-filled and, ah, you can read, a little paper back booklet that will help you on the 70 weeks of Daniel. You can pick it up at the Christian Book Store, it's in our library,

Basic to following through prophesy, verse 26, then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary, its end and so on. Now verse 27. And he, the Prince who is to come, the Antichrist, the little horn of Daniel 7. He will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, one seven-year period. This is where we get the expression the 70th week of Daniel. Then note, in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, and so on.

So, he makes an agreement with the Jewish people, the many, for a seven-year period. And it is this act that starts the beginning of the tribulation period. The first 3h years of the tribulation He is treating the Jews with kindness. Evidently, helping them rebuild the temple and re-institute the sacrificial system. In the middle of the 3h years, he changes character. Sets himself up in the temple, declares that he’s God. We'll see this next week in ah, our study in Thessalonians, and begins to try and annihilate the Jews. Revelation 13, Revelation 17, deal more with the details of this man. And we’ll refer to him next week as we consider him more in detail.

Now, my understanding is that the background for this coming world empire is being laid in the common market of Europe. Now I’m not saying that the Common Market of Europe is this final ten-form kingdom. However, it is in that vicinity. Since it’s going to be a resurrected Roman Empire. Some of you subscribe to the Moody Monthly, very excellent magazine. And, we get it in our church library. If you don't get it, you ought to take time to read over it. In March 1974, there was a, ah, good article by Edgar James, on prophecy in the Common Market. He took time to go over there, and ah, talk to some people in Brussels on the Common Market. Has some maps showing the old world empire, and the empire encompassed by the Common Market nations. I know you can’t see this, but you can get it in the library, and read it, ah. He has some interesting things to say.

Now you remember the emphasis on the ten. Daniel 2 makes it clear, Daniel 7 makes it clear. Revelation 13 makes it clear. Revelation 17 makes it clear. All refer to the fact that in its final form, this western world government will be composed of ten nations. He, mentions in ah, one paragraph; although only 9 nations now make up the Common Market, from the beginning 10 federated nations have been the goal. Even today there are ten flag poles for member nations in front of the headquarters building, plus one for the flag of the president.
So, interesting the stress on ten, and you can go back from its inception, this was the goal they established, ten nations. They’ve gotten to nine. Whether they'll just be one more, and these are the ten. Whether, they'll be some fall out, some come in. Just interesting from a biblical standpoint that we have come to the place now where the western world is moving together into a federated ten nation state. I have to quote one of the closing paragraphs. He quotes from Henry Spock, who was one of the early planters of the Common Market and is now Secretary General of NATO. Quote, ah, this Mr. Henry Spock. "We do not want another committee, we have too many already", sounds like a church, "what we want is a man of sufficient stature to hold the allegiance of all people, and to lift us out of the economic morass into which we are sinking. Send us such a man and be he God or Devil, we will receive him". So, you see the goal of one of the planners. We need a man strong enough to pull it together. Ah, this past week in reading US News and
World Reports, this is the June 3rd issue,1974. They had an article
ah, why Western democracies are faltering. And again, discussing nations primarily involved in the Common Market and showing the difficulty, that they face.

Some of you also saw the article in the Journal, Tuesday, May 28.
In 16 months, all 9 Common Market nations have lost leaders. And the disarray in these nations that compose the Common Market. And this article in US News & World Reports notes experts agree there is a dearth of leaders who inspire respect both at home and abroad. Where, individuals ask, are the Churchill’s, and the DE Gaulle’s, the Adenauer’s of past years.

Next paragraph talks about the need for strong leadership from a European specialist on social economy. Quote, it is possible that the Western world can live with this situation unsettled situation for a while just as it endured the early tortures of the Industrial Revolution. Yet one field that Western Democracy and Capitalism have not, at least so far, produced any answers to the problems that are the unexpected byproducts of the rapid growth and prosperity in recent decades. Not everyone, by any means, agrees. But certainly quite a number of influential people in Europe and the US fear that world-wide inflation, social tensions, weak political leadership, all these problems could suddenly join together and push Western countries toward authoritarian rule. Interesting in light of the bible, that we're going to move toward this ten federated states and these ten nations are going to be loosely held together by one man, a little horn, not real significant. Just the way they observe this new leader, Helmit Schmitt, in East Germany. A potential dynamic leader, they observe, ah, but he needs time. They're looking for a strong leader to immerge and this man will displace three of the nations, three of the powers, pull them together, use it as a power base and for three and one-half years will establish himself. Until, Revelation 17 tells us in the middle of the three and one-half years, all ten nations agree that he ought to be world ruler. So he sets himself up as God.

Again I don't want you to run out and say I'm preaching the Common Market is the final form. Basically, I believe that at least it is the foundation for the final form. I have no problem with that. The Antichrist is going to arise from this and it will be at the beginning of his rise to power that he'll sign an agreement with the nation Israel evidently, guaranteeing their protection and sovereignty. He will guarantee that the Western World will commit itself to the defense of Israel. That's one of the, conditions that Gold Meir set down a year or two ago. That if there was to be peace in Israel, the Western World would have to guarantee the security of Israel. Ezekiel 38 and 39, and ah, indicate that Israel will get that guarantee and be living in peace.
So this is the man, the Antichrist, the man of sin, the man of lawlessness.

He has to be revealed before the day of the Lord because it's his
revelation. If you don’t know who he is, iff you happen to be here, and all of us have disappeared, when that agreement's signed, you'll know who he is. You'll wish you didn't, but you'll know who he is. He'll be unveiled.

This is the man. The one who signs this agreement as the representative of the Western World. Alright, we've gone on longer than I thought. Yet we didn't cover all the material that I intended for us. But we'll stop and pick up here next week.

And we'll take just a couple of minutes for questions. And uh, somewhere along the line why we'll take longer time if necessary. Ah, questions in this area. Perhaps questions or comments, on what we've done this evening.

Well, these days you'd hardly call him a little horn. Ah. It seems it won't be a person quite this prominent. He arises from this ten nations. Now the only possibility is that the United States maybe will become federated with these ten nations. That's probably wishful thinking. Indication seems to be that our deterioration will go to the point that we'll be a second rate power in comparison to the Common Market and Russia and so on. It was interesting on the newsreel, I mentioned this in one of our bible studies, the newsflash they did on Henry Kissinger, bringing about peace in all the parts of the world. He was pictured with all the world leaders. It reminded me of that picture, film, A Thief in the Night. A guy bringing peace, and all that's going on. I wouldn't be comfortable proclaiming him as the Antichrist. First problem is that the Antichrist won't be unveiled until the rapture occurs. Probably be one of these insignificant men that are jockeying for power behind the scene in these Common Market nations that will surge to power and be the dynamic leader that can put it together.

Okay, we got it all together to this point. We’ll pick up at this point next week. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for the confidence we have in the word. Lord, the fact that you've chosen to reveal something of the future. Lord, pray that it might serve to increase our confidence and stability. Lord, not just that we'd satisfy curiosity regarding the future. But, it would serve to mature us, to stabilize us in our walk as believers. That we wouldn't be unsettled by every wind of doctrine that comes by. But that we'd be careful to sift it in light of the Word to see what is truth and what is error.
Lord, we thank you for the blessed hope we have as believers, of departing this world, being caught up to meet Jesus Christ in the air. And that not being part of that great time of judgement, the day of the Lord, when your wrath is poured out on the earth. Lord, we're thankful because it's all a result of what was accomplished for us in the work of Jesus Christ. We pray in his name. Amen.