Bulletin Article -- Sunday, January 10, 2021
With all that is going on throughout the world with the coronavirus, a well-known religious radio personality said, the times are “perfectly suited for the Antichrist to come.”
He says the world’s governments have done something that's “never been done in human history.” They have made the issue and the response global.
He was quoted saying, “Now we are a global world. And that is a setup that we've been waiting for through redemptive history since the Lord promised that there would come, in the future, an Antichrist who would have a global government.” Typically, this religious leader quoted Revelation, referring to the mark of the beast, and if you don’t have “the number” you can’t buy or sell, etc. This servant of Satan will control you. Once the Antichrist comes, then the Great Tribulation begins, God's judgment comes, and in the end Christ returns.” Note, he is quick to say he’s not predicting the Lord is coming soon. He said it’s up to us to be sure that we're looking at the “signs of the times.”
So the pandemic lockdowns, businesses and travel limitations, scarcity or restrictions on food and toilet paper, we are supposed to understand this is all ripe for the coming of the antichrist, final judgment, and the second coming of Christ?
For those of us who trust in the Lord and the Word of God, we ask ourselves, “What does the Bible say about this matter? Is this true?” We recognize the preaching above as the false doctrine of Premillennialism.
First of all, throughout the years, men have taken every national or global event and turned it into a fulfillment of prophecy of end times. They did this with World War 1, World War 2, the United Nations, Social Security, Medicare, and credit card numbers. These are supposedly prophesied in the Bible as a sign of the times. How misguided and contradictory this is!
No wonder Jesus said, “Take heed that no one deceives you For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet” (Matthew 24:6).
In the context of Matthew 24, Jesus went on to speak of the signs that will be evident before the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple (24:15-35). Please take note of the historical and cultural nature of these signs (closed gates to the city, being up on the rooftops, the Sabbath day). Then pay attention to the next verse (24:36). “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven but My Father only.” Following these words, over and over again, and on into chapter 25, the Lord reiterates the complete lack of signs in reference to His second coming.
Two inspired apostles, Paul and Peter, told us the day of the Lord will arrive “as a thief in the night" (1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10). In other words, the Lord's return will be sudden and unexpected. When you hear of natural disasters or conflicts throughout the world, these things do not mean that Christ is about to return.
In reference to the Antichrist, I have highlighted several phrases in the following verses. John said, “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour” (1 John 2:18). ”...every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world (1 John 4:3).
The Antichrist is anyone who denies Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament. Jesus Christ is Deity—of the very nature of God in heaven (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:22, 23; John 1:1-3, 14; 10:30).
When someone denies Christ as the God-man (of the divine nature and human at the same time) they deny God the Father who sent Him (John 5:18-23). “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22; 2 John 1:7).
With this information we can readily see how antichrists have been around since Jesus Christ came to earth. They take on many forms today—those who outright deny Christ as the Son of God, or those who believe He was simply a good man. “And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore, I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:23–24).
May we always make sure of truth and guard against getting caught up in the hype of false religion. — Chris