The Man of Lawlessness

Transcript

GR 41

11 Thess. 2: 1-5
6/9/1974
Gil Rugh

2 Thessalonians, chapter 2 and I'd like to begin reading with verse 1 again. Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, 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. And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

Let’s pray together. Father we are thankful for the safety of salvation in Christ that we enjoy, Lord even this evening as we consider matters pertaining to the future and the wrath that is to come again we're mindful and appreciative of the great salvation we have that spared us from coming wrath and gives us the blessed hope of the soon coming of Jesus Christ. Pray that you'll make our time profitable this evening as each of us are open and receptive to the word and pray Lord that it might not be a time when our curiosity is simply satisfied, a time when we’re build up in understanding and insights into the Word, we pray in Jesus name. Amen.

Last week we started chapter 2 of 2 Thessalonians noting that it’s one of the outstanding prophetic portions of the scriptures and from the material discussed here is not discussed in the same way anywhere else in the Scripture. The occasion comes about because the Thessalonians were afraid that they were in the day of the Lord and Paul has written to assure them of the fact that they are not in the day of the Lord, that there are certain things that must transpire before the day of the Lord could occur and so it must be a future event.

This is the period talked about when we refer to the day of the Lord. It goes all the way through to the end of the thousand years with the judgement in sentencing some to hell and the bliss of the eternal presence of God, all to be called the day of the Lord.

Now the emphasis in the day of Lord is on judgement. That’s the prime emphasis. It’s an Old Testament term carried over into the New Testament and this being one of the outstanding times of judgement it forms a central part. This seven years of tribulation which follows the church age, the period of time in which we're living now, as we saw in 1 Thessalonians 4, will be ended with the rapture of the church. All true believers will be taken bodily to heaven. Then seven year’s tribulation on the earth, God pouring out his wrath on the earth the return, the judgement preceding the millennial reign of Christ, the thousand-year rule of Christ which is a rule with a rod of iron and the exhortation to kiss the son lest he be angry. The submission to Him then the great white throne at the end of the millennium and the new heaven and the new earth occurring at this point that’s in 2 Peter 3.

Note, so the day of the Lord carried this entire period although this is the period which the Thessalonians were concerned about because of the persecutions that they were undergoing. Now in the verses that we looked at last week, we note that Paul said in verse 2 that they oughtn’t to be shaken. Somebody presents a letter saying this is from Paul and it’s to the effect you’re in the day of the Lord. Paul says don't believe it. Verse 3, Let know one deceive you for it will not come, the day of the Lord will not come, picked up from the end of verse 2, unless the apostasy comes first. I noted last week that I prefer the interpretation. That apostasy here, the basic meaning of word, is the departure which refers to the rapture, the departure talked about in verse 1. The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him refers to the departure of believers from the earth rather than the departure from the faith, although that’s Scriptural too. In the last days there is going to be a mass moving away from the biblical faith and we see that going on today among the organized church. This is why the Bible doesn't play the key part any longer or the foundation for its existence. But, the first thing that must happen is the departure of the church, the rapture.

Secondly, the man of lawlessness is to be revealed, and he is to be identified as the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction or perdition. And we’re talking about the man that we identify by name as the antichrist. Now the antichrist has a title for this individual that’s not used in Scripture. John in his epistles refers to the fact that many antichrists are present and we refer to it as this man who is the climax of those who are antichrists. The political ruler of this time, the seven-year period divides into the first three and one-half years, is the rise to power. As we noted last week in looking back in the book of Daniel, the empires seen by Daniel were Babylon, followed by Medo-Persia, followed by Greece, followed by Rome, were the four major empires that Daniel saw. Daniel chapter 2 and chapter 11. Chapter 2 is an image of a man, chapter 11 it’s the wild beasts. Now the Roman empire is revived at a time period immediately preceding the setting up of the kingdom of God. Remember both in chapter 2 and in chapter 11, it’s this revived Roman empire that is in existence when Christ comes to set up his kingdom. So what happens is Rome, even though as an empire it’s been put down, will be resurrected and it will be resurrected in a tenfold division. What will happen, ten nations will be drawn together in the western world to form a final western world confederacy. This will be going on during the first three and one-half years. This ten nation confederacy. Now if you weren’t here you can go back and pick up these details in Daniel chapter 2. It’s the ten toes on the image that are part of iron and part of clay, and the iron symbolized the Roman empire. So we see a continuation of the Roman empire although it doesn't have the strength that the Roman empire did. In chapter 11 we see it as ten horns on the final ferocious beast and these horns are on this last beast Rome, symbolizing that they are connected to Rome. Now from among this ten formed kingdom there comes one man and he's the man we're talking about in 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2. He's the man of lawlessness, the man of sin as King James has it. The son of perdition or destruction. This is his destiny and he is characterized and appointed for destruction. What he does is during the first, turn back here again, during this first three and one-half years he is rising to power. He displaces three of the ten nations until we get to the middle of the seven years when he is in a position to declare himself world ruler and for the last three and a half years we have the rule of one man over the world. The man called the antichrist, he's the little horn in Daniel chapter 7 you remember?

Okay look over in Revelation chapter 17, if you could. Just to see that this time is set in your mind somewhat. I will try to end a little bit earlier tonight than we did last week so maybe you feel a little freer to ask your questions.

Revelation chapter 17, in verse 3. Some of you were here when we did our study on Revelation. Revelation 17:3, and he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, the angel here, carrying John, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.

Now the ten horns you remember, we picked those up in chapter 13 last week on the first beast that comes out of the sea. The same person as the little horn in Daniel 7, the same person as the will- full king in chapter 11 of Daniel as well. Now the woman here pictures the apostate church that is left during the first three and one-half years. The rapture occurs here but there will be much organized religion that’s left and the apostate church will function for three and one-half years. It’s described as a harlot in rather blunt terms in these verses, decked out in verse 4. You remember, pick up the seven heads and ten horns at the end of verse 3. Don’t want to lose you on that then, the description of the woman. And then verse 7, the angel said to me why do you wonder? I shall tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her. So for the first three and one-half years of the tribulation this revived western world empire is going to be supporting this false church, the apostate church, that’s left after the rapture, carried by this beast. I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her which has the seven heads and the ten horns and we go on to talk about the beast and in verse 9 here is the mind which has wisdom, the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits and they are seven kings. Now some have identified the seven mountains here with Rome we had a song at one time, before my time I guess, the seven hills of Rome something like that. Some of you old timers will remember some such song at any rate. For Rome is situated on seven hills and it was popular particularly in the last century to identify the seven mountains here as Rome and particularly the Roman Catholic church. I think the identification breaks down very easily because verse 9 says the seven heads are seven mountains and are seven kings, so the seven heads are seven mountains are seven kings. So if there’s any debate on what the mountains symbolize, they symbolize seven kings or kingdoms. We noted last week a king or a kingdom used interchangeably a king is representative of his kingdom. So the seven mountains are seven kings or kingdoms. Now you note five have fallen, one is we’re in verse 10, the other has not yet come, and when he comes he must remain a little while. The beast which was and is not is himself also the eighth, and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction. Now it’s one of those areas that it seems like a tongue twister. We saw, Daniel saw four kingdoms, well John here in Revelation has seen five, that have already been in existence, one that’s in existence, one that’s future and then an eighth. So he has twice as many but what he does instead of doing as Daniel was at this point when he had his Revelation, John is down here in Rome. Now what he has done is gone back to the beginning. So instead of going back to Babylon, John in Revelation goes back preceding Babylon. Now we have two major empires, Egypt and Assyria two major world powers. Egypt and Assyria now there were other world powers everywhere. The Hittites had a mighty empire and people named Mitanni that we’re not even that familiar with. The determining factor that it’s Egypt and Assyria very simply is they are the major empires in the Old Testament in relation to Israel and that’s what the Bible is concerned about. It’s not whether other major empires exist but those that form a part of Scripture and particularly are involved with the nation Israel and Egypt and Assyria obviously. Assyria was responsible for the northern tribes captivity from which they never returned. So you count these we have one, two, three, four, five. Now in Revelation 17:10 it says there are seven kings; five have fallen, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, one is, John is living in or under the Roman empire, so that’s the sixth. The other has not yet come; and when he comes he must remain a little while. So you note he marks off this seventh kingdom as short duration. It is still future when John writes and of a shorter duration because he says it remains a little while. What he has done is picked up the ten nation confederacy that is going to be functioning for the first three and one-half years of the tribulation. It is going to be in existence for just a little while, because only three and one-half years and then in verse 11, the beast which was and is not, picking up the description that he gave in verse 8, is himself also an eighth, and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction. So John counts the Antichrist this one man as the eighth kingdom. You note he says he's of the seven because Daniel chapter 7 told us that he come from among the ten horns, and he displaces three of them. So he's one of the seven but he is also an eighth so he comes out of the seven but he also forms an eighth.

Back here a minute now, during the last three and one-half years of the tribulation this man is going to function as world ruler. Look toward the end of chapter 17 of Revelation, verse 12. The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom. So you see the identification of king and kingdom here. They've not yet received a kingdom; this kingdom has not yet come into existence. They receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. So again the emphasis on one hour, on the short duration of time and it’s with the beast, one of them, verse 13.

These have one purpose and they give their power and authority to the beast. Verse 16,
And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot, the harlot refers to the apostate church according to the first part of chapter 17 which is in existence during the first three and one-half years. These ten with the Antichrist hate this false church, will make her desolate and naked, will eat her flesh will burn her up with fire. God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should be fulfilled.

What happens with events transpiring, my understanding, we’ve talked a number of occasions about Ezekiel 38 and 39, my understanding if Ezekiel 38 and 39, the battle described there with Russia occurs in the middle of the tribulation and with the destruction of the Russian armies all but a sixth of the armies which are pushed back into the Siberian wasteland. The antichrist as leader of the western world is in a position to declare himself as supreme ruler and because of the magnificence of this person, his demonstrations of his supernatural power, all the other members of this ten nation confederacy are in agreement we want him as our absolute ruler and king. And so for the last three and one-half years he functions as world ruler, the Russian armies are removed and evidently the oriental armies are not in a position to challenge him until the end of the seven years because they come on the scene with a vast army of some two hundred million to challenge him.

Alright so this is the person we are talking about. Complete harmony between the description that Daniel saw and what John saw. Simply John has gone back to Revelation and picked up the two previous empires and he delineates them more. Finally, Daniel sees them as a continuation of the Roman empire, John simply says this is six, seven and
eight in that they are western world empires.

So for three and one -half years the man we are talking about in 2 Thessalonians 2 is going to rule the world. It’s during these last three and one-half years that the terrible persecutions, as he attempts to annihilate Israel, are going to take place. The mark of the beast will be required, everyone will need his mark and the number 666 either in the forehead or the hand to buy or sell and so on. Revelation chapter 13 talks about that.

Alright let’s go back and move through a little further in 2 Thessalonians 2, and then we'll break off for some questions. Alright this is the man who is to come, the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction. He's noted by a variety of names. You can get a book on prophecy like Pentecost’s. I think he lists twenty-eight names that refer to this same individual through the scripture.

Now verse 4, what he does, he 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. So what Paul is doing is saying that this man will be revealed early in the tribulation and we looked last week in Daniel chapter 9 verse 27. He is the one who signs the agreement with Israel that marks the beginning of the tribulation. He signs an agreement for one week, one seven-year period with Israel. That marks the beginning of the seven years tribulation. But as his rule through the seven years progresses he gets worse, he opposes and exalts himself above every so called God or object of worship. What is going to happen is in the middle of the three and one-half years when he's setting himself up as world ruler he declares himself to be God incarnate and every other religious form every other object of worship must be done away with. That’s why we read in Revelation 17 that the ten kingdoms, the ten kings, have agreement to destroy the apostate church. There's no place for it now because even the false church won’t be tolerated any longer. There will be one world religion that will worship the antichrist. And the verse 4 tells us he takes his seat in the temple of God displaying himself as being God.

The Bible indicates that the temple is going to be rebuilt in Israel and your aware of the discussions that surround that. I am in all probability it won’t be rebuilt until after the rapture. I won’t be shattered if I wake up in the morning and its half way built where the dome of the Mosque is but probably it won’t happen until the tribulation. That’s not a prophecy, it’s just an opinion. I don't want to be stoned if they build it before we leave, but it will be in existence nonetheless during the first three and one-half years. It may be built very rapidly with the support of the antichrist in the western world forces as part of the agreement that he signs with Israel at the beginning of the seven-year tribulation.

Nonetheless we find the temple in existence during the seven years’ tribulation and pretty well finished when we get to the middle of the tribulation, three and one-half years along because the antichrist now turns against Israel. He has lulled them into a false security as their friend, and now the middle of the seven years he doesn't need them any longer. He doesn’t need the apostate church any longer and so he sets himself up in the temple and declares that he is God and the object of worship. Of course this is a desecration of the temple. We saw it in type, in history. We won’t go back there now but in Daniel chapter 8 we have the life of a man called Antiochus Epiphanes, the magnificent Antiochus as he humbly noted himself. He did very similar things. He offered a pig on the altar as he attacked Jerusalem. He set up an image of a Greek God in the temple and demanded it be worshipped. He, in type, is a picture of the antichrist. Now this sitting in the temple, displaying himself as being God, ties to a number of passages. Look at Revelation 13 we’ll go to the back and then pick up some other passages. Revelation 13. We just finished talking about the first beast of Revelation 13 and the second beast because two beasts are described. The first beast is this antichrist, the political ruler. We see him in verse 1, and you note the similarity again, a beast ten horns seven heads. We looked at that. That’s the same symbolism as we had in Revelation chapter 17 verse 4, the worshipping of the dragon.

As all the world, while Paul was after the beast, and say who was like the beast, who was able to wage war with him. Verse 5, there was given him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies; and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him for three and one-half years. And he opens his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them; authority over every tribe and people tongue and nation was given to him. And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain, and then the martyrdom and so on. Then in verse 11, we have another beast coming up and this is the false prophet and the ministry of the false prophet is to get all the world to worship the antichrist as God. Verse 12 we’re told about this second beast, the false prophet. He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given to him to perform in the presence of the beast. Telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. And then there was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast might even speak, and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast, to be killed. He causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand, or their forehead and that no one should be able to buy or sell except that he has the mark either the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, 666.

Alright so you see something then of what’s going with the supernatural power. The beast sets himself up and says I'm God. The false prophet is there to say he's God, you don't believe it, watch the fire. Impressive, especially in light of the fact you keep in mind Ezekiel 38 and 39 the armies of Russia are to destroy supernaturally evidently by fire consuming them on the mountains of Israel. It may be that to solidify himself this man will take credit for that, just an interesting connection.

He makes an image of the beast and that’s fine. Any good artist can make an image. But then he sets that image up in the temple and he says, alright, only God can give life. Now I command you to come to life and that image starts to move around and talk. Pretty impressive. It’s going to be awfully impressive. Now interesting in verse 15 we're told there was given to him breath. To give breath to the image of the beast. The word breath there is spirit. It’s not the word life and it may involve demonic activity. Which life given to the image since life is in the hands of God and Christ is called the author of life? He gives spirit to the image, and nonetheless, this image starts to move and starts to speak. Everyone convinced he's given life to that image and thus convinced that they're in the presence of God in the flesh and thus bow to worship him. Now you note the image here that’s set up.

Alright now go back to Matthew, chapter 24, in our ladies Bible study we're just getting into Matthew 24, the men are just going to start Matthew 24 this week as well. We're just going to pick up a verse here so I don't do the same thing we're going to do in our Bible studies through the week. Verse 15, a warning by Christ regarding the breaking out of the great tribulation in the middle of the seven years. "Therefore when you see the Abomination of Desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Don't stop to get your clothes, don't stop to pack a bag you just better get out because this is where the persecution begins. You note the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place. We read in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 where he sets himself up in the temple as God. And in Revelation 13 where an image of him is set up in the temple is brought to life as God. The reference spoken of by Daniel the prophet is mentioned a couple of times in Daniel, the last chapter, the 12th chapter. I'll just read it for you. You can jot down the reference, Daniel chapter 12, verse 11. And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1290 days. So there's the reference to the abomination of desolation. Then in chapter 9, in connection with the signing of the covenant for one week, and he the antichrist will make a firm covenant with the Jews for one week. One seven-year period and in the middle of the week, after three and one-half years, he will put a stop to the sacrifice and the grain offering and on the wing of abomination will come one who makes desolate even until a complete desolation, one is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate. So this abomination of desolation connected to the ministry of the antichrist in attempting to destroy Israel.

So back to 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2. In 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2, verse 4, we see the theme coming up in a number of places where this man who’s going to be world ruler. Going to rule the western world confederacy. We talked about the common market last week. The potential there is going to be solidifying his power during the first three and one-half years. In the middle after the three and one-half years and the destruction of the northern armies, he sets himself up in the temple and declares himself to be a supernatural being none other than God himself. He demands the worship of the world, and the annihilation of Israel and every person who will not submit to him by receiving his mark. His ministry is going to be substantiated by miracles, again another evidence that the performance of miracles isn't a guarantee that God is in what’s going on. There obviously it is the devil.

Note 2 Thessalonians, verse 5. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? Now I don't know how long you individually have been Christians. We’ve noted on several occasions Paul was only at Thessalonica for a period of months and yet in that time he had packed in all this Bible doctrine and prophecy, and now he's amazed you don't understand. And some of you that this may be new to, are wondering, you expect me to grasp all that tonight? Yet Paul is amazed here. The Thessalonians who came to know Christ were taught all this in a period of a couple of months and then Paul left. He writes back, don't you remember anything? I told you that already? If you'd remember what I had taught you regarding God's purposes and plans you wouldn't have been deceived.
So it’s a rather mild rebuke. It’s not a sharp condemnation by any means, but the question, don’t you remember? Well Gods purposes and plans don’t change. Well just because some kook comes along and says I got a letter and I got authority, now you're thrown off balance. All you have to do is remember what the word says and throw him out with his letter. You remember what I said? Alright. I was telling you these things. I take it, it points up the importance of prophecy as well as other studies. Often Christians don't understand the place of prophecy and it’s too much like studying about the great beyond. We need something practical right here and now, while the Thessalonians, with all their difficulties with all their persecutions, with all their suffering, Paul thought that he had to pack in a cram course on eschatology. It was important that they understand God’s purposes and Gods plans.

Well we are just about to where we were going to get last week. Now we're to pick up for this evening. We're going to break off here since I said we'd have questions. Otherwise it will be 8:15 and then we won't have questions again. We'll pick up with the restrainer without the review that we went through. So we'll pick up with verse 6 next week but take time now if you have any questions or observations to make on what we've gone over.

When the false prophet begins his ministry? Back in Revelation chapter 13, I'm not sure I can. In Revelation 13, the ministry picks up with a false prophet, primarily with the offering of worship. So it seems that he'll obviously be living during the rise of the antichrist to power and may be one of his close companions and workers. He actually begins to function in the middle of the tribulation when it’s time to direct worship to the antichrist. So what he's doing for the first three and one-half years isn't clear. Obviously a tool of the devil, he's identified as speaking as a dragon connecting him with Satan but from his ministry of directing worship to the antichrist it seems that he picks up in the middle of the tribulation. So what he's doing before this we don't know although evidently not directing worship to the antichrist. Although probably a follower undoubtedly, but not functioning as false prophet as such.

Question. Yes, keeping the beast straight and so on can be confusing that's why we try to call them the first beast and the second beast or the beast out of the sea and the beast out of the earth. The prophet is the second one out of the earth in verse 11 in chapter 13, so you have to keep that clear. There are two beasts here. Living creatures, obviously human but in John's vision described as beasts. A rather common term following through particularly Revelation.

Question. Both are antichrist in their character although I been using the designation or title, antichrist just for the first beast. He's the political ruler and the second beast is to direct worship to him. Really, outside of Revelation, he is not given a place in scripture.
So the second beast, the false prophet, is limited to the book of Revelation and its primarily in the thirteenth chapter that he's dealt with. We find him cast into hell later on but this is the bulk of material we have on the false prophet because he's secondary to the antichrist, the political ruler. Because his function is just to direct worship to the one who is prime.

(Question) Yes, in Revelation 13:7, where it's given to him, the antichrist, to make war with the saints to overcome them. There are people being saved throughout the seven years’ tribulation. We're going to talk about this later on in chapter 2, because it's from there that some people take the idea that some will be saved. People are being we have the hundred and forty-four thousand Jews who are functioning as evangelists also the ministry of the two witnesses in chapter 11. So even though as we begin the seven-year tribulation there’s not a believer on earth, God selects out for salvation a hundred and forty- four thousand Jews and seals them guarantees their protection. Then they go throughout the world proclaiming the message of salvation in Christ. Many are believing, but a vast number of these who believe are martyred by the antichrist. That’s the group that is here. It’s given to him to make war with the saints and overcome them. So you note, it’s going to be a difficult time to be a believer because God has chosen to give the antichrist victory and power in even conquering Christians. Now not conquering in the one sense but from the standpoint of carrying out persecutions, martyrdoms. We see a vast multitude without number, in Revelation chapter 7, come out of the tribulation by washing their robes white in the blood of the Lamb. They've been martyred by the antichrist. So one of the results of waiting to the tribulation to be saved is there will be a good probability of suffering death at the hands of the antichrist. A man has written a book called "Raptured, Raptured, Raptured" that some of you have read and he goes into some of the gruesome descriptions, in this novel of the tribulation, of how Christians are going to die. It rather makes your blood curdle, but that’s who's involved here.

Question. The seven mountains in chapter 17 of Revelation verse 9. Its Revelation 17:9, the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits and they are seven kings; and the connection is very smooth the seven heads are seven mountains are seven kings so all three refer to the same thing.

Question. In chapter 17 the harlot, the mystery Babylon the great. That's connecting with Babylon. The political Babylon that he's leading into in chapter 18. So we have the religious system and the political system connected with it and we go into the city and it's description in chapter 18.

Question. Yes, why do I interpret a week as seven years. Good question. Let me see if I can give a brief couple passages that will be parallel at least since it is crucial to the interpretation. Look in Daniel chapter 7, and incidentally ah I don't know if I mentioned last week or not. I did in the ladies’ bible study I believe about Alva J. McClain’s little booklet "The Seventy Weeks of Daniel". A little paperback booklet we have it in our library costs about a dollar at the bookstore. Very helpful in covering this material which is really foundational to prophecy. It’s titled, "The Seventy Weeks of Daniel" by McClain. Verse 25 of Daniel chapter 7, here we have the ten horns and the little horn, in verse 25, he will speak out against the Most High, 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 hands for a time times and a half times. And that’s time singular times a dual in Hebrew meaning two and a half time. So one, two, and a half, so three and a half here as his time period of persecuting the saints. Now in Daniel chapter 9, which is where the seventy weeks come out, and we won't go through all seventy, we'll just pick up with this last week in verse 27. And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week, that’s when the persecution begins. So in the middle of the week would be three and a half along. And the week here literally is sevens. Seventy sevens, verse 24, have been decreed for your people. We have to determine whether its seventy seven day periods, seventy seven year periods, or whatever. Now keep your finger there go back to Revelation again. Don't lose Daniel because you might want to check it. Revelation chapter 12, and verse 6; And the woman, and the woman here symbolizes Israel, she gave birth to the male child in verse 5 that was caught up to God at the ascension of Christ, the woman Israel fled into the wilderness for she had a place prepared by God so that their she might be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days. Now this is the last half of the tribulation. A year in prophetic scripture is three hundred and sixty days. Rounded off and reduced all this practice and every so often they had a thirteenth month to make up the time. Three hundred and sixty days is a year so you divide the one thousand two hundred and sixty by three hundred and sixty and you have three and one-half years. Now look over in verse 14 still in Revelation 12 and the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, same symbolism Israel, in order that she might fly into the wilderness to her place in other words escape persecution. God has provided a sanctuary for her in the wilderness where she was nourished for a time and times and a half time. Same expression that we had in Daniel chapter 7, verse 5, a time times and a half time, so that three and a half. The same as Daniel chapter 9, the middle of the week three and a half along and the link is in verse 6. One thousand, two hundred and sixty days indicates that a time times and a half time would be three and a half years and so the middle of the week three and a half would be three and a half years, also ah fits with the forty-two month of chapter 13, verse 5 again you divide twelve into forty-two you get the three and one-half year period again.

Question. The symbolism is the ability to flee the persecution which is given as an eagle could fly into the wilderness.

Question. Yes, some do. Maybe we’ll supply the planes, I don’t know. Some do although I don't go along with that connection of the animals with England and United States and so on that some see here I think more the picture as is common in Daniels visions to denote the flight and the swiftness and so on. The wings here that enable her to escape and hide.

Question. Yes I think it could and that’s one of the most popular explanations you’ll note in verse 13, that one of his heads had been slain. The fatal wound was healed, the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast, and then down in verse 12, he had the wound, the fatal wound that was healed. And verse 14, at the end of the verse an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life many feel that the antichrist will be mortally wounded in perhaps the battle. In Daniel 11 we find the antichrist leading the armies of the western world into Palestine to do battle with Russia. Many believe that perhaps he’ll settle suffer a fatal wound at this time and be brought back to life. Some believe that its men of the past like Judas Iscariot raised to life. I think if it is a man coming to life it’s probably a man who’s killed at this time and comes back to life. I personally favor the view that what is slain here is the empire and the seeming death of the Roman empire with the barbarian hordes and so on is come to life because you’ll note in verse 3 I saw one of his heads as it had been slain. And you note in verse 1 the seven heads and we noted the seven heads represent the seven mountains which represent the seven kings in or a kingdoms here as we looked at in Revelation 17 referring to the seeming demise of the Roman empire. And the world’s going to be amazed at the revival of the Roman empire. So an image made to the beast, the antichrist as the representative of the revived Roman empire, rather than a person coming back to life. I kind of think of it as an empire but I think the other is a possibility scripturally. And that would amaze people that he died and came back to life, but I think it’s more consistent here with the context that it would be the empire that dies. The Roman empire seemingly has died but it’s going to be revived and reestablished.

Okay next week we’ll pick up in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, with the departure of the one who is restraining. And the reason that lawlessness has not broken out to its fullest extent today is not because men aren't as bad as they could be. It’s because of the work of the restrainer in holding back wickedness and the outbreak of lawlessness.

Let's close with a word of prayer. Father again we thank you for your word the fact that you've chosen to reveal something of your future plans and the goal toward which this world is moving. Lord we're thankful that we're not looking toward this time of wrath destruction and persecution on the earth but we anticipate the coming of Christ to receive us to be with himself. Lord pray that we might be living our lives daily as though we did expect his coming. Lord we thank you for the privilege we have to look into the word of understanding some of these matters. Lord we thank you for the Spirit who is the instructor and teacher. Lord we'd not forget to remember any who might be here this evening who only have to look forward to the time of wrath and destruction Lord because they've not yet become part of your family by faith in Jesus Christ. Pray that they too might come to know you personally even this evening in order that they might have the blessed hope of the soon return of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
We pray it in his name. Amen