Certain Eternity Part 20 – The Age of Antichrist
1 John 2:18, 22 February 16, 2025
Introduction
Archenemies:
o Batman and the Joker
o Sherlock Holmes and James Moriarty
o Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort
o Superman and Lex Luthor
o Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd
o Road Runner and Wylie Coyote
o Optimus Prime and Megatron
o Super Mario and Bowser
o Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader
In this chapter, John has been talking about how amazing Jesus is and just some
of what Jesus has done for us. John has reminded us of the call to love God and
love one another and again made the distinction between the kingdom of
darkness and the kingdom of light.
o The last few verses have been a warning of not falling into the world
system, the kingdom of darkness, and to not be taken in by all of the
temporary things that are passing away.
Now, John turns to the reality of how that world system is coming to an end, and
that sadly, there are folks who are deceived and stuck in that world system and
that there are folks from that system who are actively trying to deceive us and get
us to fall away into deception, into false gospels or outright denial of Jesus.
1 John 2:18-23 “18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that
antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that
it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they
had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it
might become plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been anointed by
the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21 I write to you, not because you do
not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22
Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist,
he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the
Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.”
3-part outline: the Age, the Antichrist, the Application (5 points)
The Age
“Last hour” (Gk. eschatos hora)
o is a phrase that is a metaphor referring to the last age or eschaton, which
began with Messiah’s first coming and will end at His Second Coming when
he returns to judges the living and the dead and rule and reign forever (see
last half of Revelation 20).
This is commonly referred to as the church age or the age of grace
Matthew 28:19-20 “19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded
you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
We are currently living within the “last hour” and therefore know
that John’s warnings are directly applicable to us.
“The last hour” or “the last times” are phrases that describe a kind of time, not a
duration of time.
o These times are marked by increasing deception, selfishness, lawlessness,
depravity, and false saviors.
1 Timothy 4:1-2 “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times
some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful
spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars
whose consciences are seared…”
2 Timothy 3:1-4 “But understand this, that in the last days there will
come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of
money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents,
ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without
self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen
with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…”
2 Timothy 4 3-4 “3 For the time is coming when people will not
endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate
for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn
away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
Matthew 24:3-14 “3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples
came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and
what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4
And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For
many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will
lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars.
See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is
not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various
places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. 9 “Then
they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you
will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many
will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And
many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because
lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But
the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of
the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a
testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (see also Mark
13:21-23)
Christians have always been living in the midst of these kinds of
things. But as the age draws to a close, the frequency and
intensity of these types of deceived behaviors will become more
pervasive.
The bible tells us that this age will not get better as we go. It will
get worse and more depraved. Yet, in the midst of that age, we
will have opportunity to shine forth with truth and love.
1 Peter 3:2-13 “2 that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets
and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3 knowing
this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their
own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For
ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the
beginning of creation.” …8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with
the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient
toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach
repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the
heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up
and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you
to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming
of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and
dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his
promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness
dwells.”
The Antichrist
Antichrist Spirit (1 John 4:3)
o Mention…will discuss more fully in chapter 4. Spirit of deception and denial
of Jesus…spirit of blasphemy against Holy Spirit
Antichrists
o 1 John 2:18 “so now many antichrists have come”
In less than 100 years John can already say that many counterfeit
saviors have been on the scene. This is surely why the writers of the
New Testament so often warn of wolves in sheep’s clothing (some of
which we’ve already read from Paul to Timothy)
Of course, these antichrists are more than just false teaches
o 1 John 2:22 “22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?
This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.”
Any denier of the true gospel of Jesus Christ is an antichrist. They
have been deceived by the antichrist spirit and are walking apart from
Jesus.
These include all religions other than true Christ-followers, false
so-called “Christian” teachers, and all who have not submitted
to Jesus at all or who have submitted to a Jesus of their own
making, their own definition – like the proto-gnostics who John
is writing against.
o How it works – cycle of antichrists, since satan does not know the
hour…always has people prepared to step into the role
Is the Antichrist alive today? Only the Lord knows…but there are
certainly people who could be the antichrist that are alive today, just
as there has always been since the Ascension of Jesus.
But one day, it will be the final cycle, and, if we are here, we would do
well to be able to recognize who this ultimate Antichrist
The Antichrist
o 1 John 2:18 “Antichrist is coming…”
In Greek, masculine singular noun
o The Antichrist is known by various names:
The Seed of Satan (Gen. 3:15);
The Little Horn (Dan. 7:8);
The King of Fierce Countenance (Dan. 8:23);
The Prince That Shall Come (Dan. 9:26);
The Desolator (Dan. 9:27);
The Willful King (Dan. 11:36);
The Man of Sin/lawlessness (2 Th. 2:3);
The Son of Destruction (2 Th. 2:3);
The Lawless One (2 Th. 2:8);
The Antichrist (1 Jn. 2:18);
The Beast (Rev. 11:7, 13:1+)
o Daniel 7:7-8 “7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth
beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron
teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its
feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten
horns. 8 I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them
another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked
up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man,
and a mouth speaking great things.”
Antiochus IV Epiphanes (“god manifest”) fulfilled much of this….but
he was a type of the ultimate Antichrist to come
o Daniel 11:31-37 “31 Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple
and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall
set up the abomination that makes desolate. 32 He shall seduce with
flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God
shall stand firm and take action. 33 And the wise among the people shall
make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword
and flame, by captivity and plunder. 34 When they stumble, they shall
receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery, 35
and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified,
and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed
time. 36 “And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and
magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things
against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is
accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done. 37 He shall pay no
attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. He
shall not pay attention to any other god, for he shall magnify himself above
all.”
Again, fulfilled in part by Antiochus IV, but much more here Antiochus
did not fulfill
o 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 “1 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not
to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken
word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the
Lord has come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not
come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is
revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against
every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the
temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that
when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And you know what is
restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the
mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will
do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed,
whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to
nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one
is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10
and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they
refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a
strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all
may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in
unrighteousness.”
o Revelation 13:1-10 “1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten
horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous
names on its heads. 2 And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet
were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the
dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of its
heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed,
and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. 4 And they
worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they
worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight
against it?” 5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and
blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two
months. 6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God,
blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven.
7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And
authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation,
8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not
been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the
Lamb who was slain. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear: 10 If anyone is to
be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the
sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance
and faith of the saints.”
Characteristics of the Antichrist:
Starts small and fills a power void, beloved by the world, very
crafty and clever, flattering words and persuasive speech, after
pandering to the people of God turns on them and kills them,
sets himself up as god to be worshipped…if not worshipped
then excluded from world system or killed. He will have real
power, supernatural, political, economic, and militarily.
From David Jeremiah:
o Antichrist will be charismatic, clever, cultic, and cruel.
The Application
Do Not Deny…receive, accept, and submit to Truth (Jesus via Holy Spirit)…be
not deceived
o Intellectual and volitional level (orthodoxy)
Romans 10:9-10 “…if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will
be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with
the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
o Physical level (orthopraxy)
James 1:22 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving yourselves.”
o Emotional level (unashamed of the gospel) (orthopathy)
Romans 1:16-17 “16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the
power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first
and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is
revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live
by faith.””
Do Not Fear
o Matthew 24:6 “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you
are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.”
Do Not Sleep – Be Prepared
o Mark 13:32-37 “32 But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not
even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on
guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is
like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants
in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay
awake. 35 Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of
the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster
crows, or in the morning— 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.
37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”
o David Jeremiah “The strategy of the Christian is not to look for the
Antichrist. No place in the Bible does it say your job as a Christian is to look
for the Antichrist. But we are to look for Christ appearing again. The
Antichrist might be alive today, but speculation about him doesn’t fit either
of the two things God has told us we are to do in light of the coming of
Christ. Those two things are to work and to watch.”
Discern
o 1 John 4:1 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see
whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the
world.”
Declare with Urgency the Good News
o 2 Timothy 2:5 “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do
the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
Conclusion
We know who our archenemy is – he is on the prowl seeking to devour any who
might falter. But we know that Jesus has already defeated him. The only thing the
enemy can do now is try to take others with him into his defeat.
o All his schemes revolve around lies…sadly many will fall victim. John is
calling us to be vigilant, to know truth, to know Jesus and to know the
Father that we may be confident in the true gospel of Jesus Christ, that by
Him we may be saved, transformed, and ultimately, glorified when our King
returns at the end of the age.
Amen. Amen.