Introduction: These transcripts of Kay Arthur's lectures on Revelation (Parts 2-4) are provided as a service to the body of Christ with the written permission of Precept Ministries International. This material is the property of Precept Ministries International and all rights are reserved. The transcripts are for the most part verbatim with deletions identified by the characters (… ). The utilization of italics, bolding, hyperlinks and pop up notes represent editorial additions. Any written additions are identified by the designation "Ed note". Note that all text in blue identifies a link or popup. All reference are the NASB unless otherwise indicated. Please note that these lectures by Kay Arthur supplement the excellent Precept Upon Precept inductive Bible study on the Revelation. Click the following links to view each division of this encouraging study and note that you can also download the first lesson of each of the 4 parts:
Revelation - Pt 1 - Revelation 1-3, 10 lessons
Revelation - Pt 2- Revelation 4-22, 12 lessons
Revelation - Pt 3- Revelation 4-22, 11 lessons
Revelation - Pt 4 - Revelation 4-22, 14 lessons
If you can find a local Precept class studying Revelation, I would strongly encourage you to join the class, as I know of no other study available anywhere in the world that will equip you so thoroughly to discern the signs of the times and cause you to live expectantly as you look for Christ's Return!
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When Will the Antichrist Click following for literal chapter by chapter chart summary of: |
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Remember the conclusions we are drawing are not from commentaries but are based on careful repetitive observation of the text. 1 John tells us there are many antichrists in the world now but there is one specific antichrist coming. The Jews were expecting the Promised One, the Messiah, but the antichrist opposes or steps in the place of Christ. What was the Christ to be?
The Christ was to be the Son of David and He was to rule over Israel and the World.
The Christ would perform signs that would testify that He was from God.
When Christ came He was to suffer on Calvary, to die and be raised on the 3rd day.
When the Christ came and rose from the dead He would remain forever. In Daniel 2 (click Kay's lecture on Daniel 2) we see an overview of world history from the perspective of Israel until the setting up of Messiah's kingdom. The dream describes 4 kingdoms and a Stone (Messiah) that would come and hit the statue on its feet and it would become a "mountain" (synonymous with "kingdom") and God would rule on the earth. Remember also that kingdom and king are synonymous. In Daniel 7 (click Kay's lectures on Daniel 7: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4) the prophet Daniel has a vision of 4 beasts that come up out of the sea: lion, bear, leopard, and a dreadful & terrifying beast (the 4th beast = the "DT'' beast). The DT beast has 10 horns and in the days of those 10 horns there is another horn, a LITTLE HORN, that arises and conquers 3 of the other horns, becoming the ruler until his kingdom is taken away and given to the saints of God. Review of Dates 605BC Babylon (lion) conquered Israel 539BC Medes & Persians (bear) conquered Babylon & ruled over Israel 339BC Greece (Alexander the Great, leopard) conquered Medes & Persians and when Alexander died his kingdom split into 4, with the northern (Seleucid Kingdom) and southern (Egypt or Ptolemies) kingdoms being those that exerted power/rule over Israel. Initially the Ptolemies ruled over Israel and it was a ''good'' rule (e.g., the Greek translation of the OT, the Septuagint, LXX, was written during this time). The Seleucids however eventually took over rule and Antiochus Epiphanes (means ''manifest'' or ''splendid'') exerted power over Israel, setting up the ''abomination of desolation'' by setting up a statue of Zeus in the Jewish Temple and sacrificing a pig on the altar. His rule ended with the Maccabean revolt. 165BC The Maccabeans ruled Israel. 63BC The 4th ''DT'' kingdom (of iron) came into power conquering the leopard with 4 heads (symbolizes the 4 kings that arose when Alexander died). So Rome ruled when Jesus Christ was born. So the Bible has laid out clearly that there will only be 4 major kingdoms until the Messiah returns and sets up His kingdom. Yes there have been many world powers but there have been no power dominating over Israel since the Roman Empire. WHERE THE ANTICHRIST COMES FROM & WHEN 1). He must come out of a political entity: This entity has to be identified somehow with the 4th kingdom of iron and clay bc we know that during the days of the 10 toes is when the Stone cut without hands comes and crushes the statue in the 10 toe stage. We also know from Daniel 7 (all that God says will come to pass… not a single word can be altered) that in the days of the 10 kings there will arise a LITTLE HORN. (See Kay's 4 Lectures on Daniel 7: LECTURE 9, Lecture 10, LECTURE 11, LECTURE 12) 2). This political entity must be from the 4th kingdom (Dan 2) and the 4th beast (Dan 7). 3). He will come out of a confederation of 10 horns, as a LITTLE HORN, making 11 horns until the LITTLE HORN conquers 3 horns leaving 8 horns at that time (see Dan 7 below).
To summarize: We have a beast with 10 horns out of which arises a Little Horn who becomes larger
So you know that there has to be some sort of revival of this 4th beast, the 4th kingdom and this may be the characteristic that makes this beast different then the others which never revived. So we know that the ANTICHRIST can only arise after we see this 4th kingdom be revived and 10 horns come up out of it. So when you see a kingdom with 10 kings you need to watch.
1). First the Kingdom comes, then 10 Horns (kings), then the Little Horn (Antichrist). 2). The Antichrist must be in power for 3 1/2 years. 3). Antichrist's rise to power can be seen in Rev 6:1 as the First Seal of the Sealed Scroll is broken by the Lamb Who alone is worthy to do so. Then one on a white horse goes forth conquering (present tense = continuous action) and to conquer (aorist = at a point in time, but it does not specify when) A NEW TIME PHASE IN THE REVELATION
The breaking of the seals begins a new time phase in the Revelation. In Rev 2 & 3 Jesus is telling the churches how to stay pure. In Rev 4 we begin this new phase: 7 Seals, 7 Trumpets, 7 Bowls culminating in Jesus Christ's return and conquering the Beast setting up His Kingdom in the days of the 10 toes. So we have a kingdom or political entity on earth at that time. Kay assumes that this one in Rev 6:2 is an individual (''he'' singular) and that by the time of the breaking of the first seal there is in place a kingdom, not necessarily ruling world wide but still an entity that would equate with the 4th Kingdom. At this time the LITTLE HORN is ''making his move'' coming up from the 10 HORNS but HE IS NOT YET IN POWER. At this time, he is simply making his move so that he will later be shown to be the antichrist. At this time the covenant is signed with the many (Dan 9:27). So at the FIRST SEAL we would have Dan 9:27. In Dan 9:24-27 during the rule of the BEAR, the Medo-Persian Empire (445BC) a decree goes forth to restore and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. From that time 483 years follow up to the time of Jesus Christ entering Jerusalem on a donkey to bring peace. After the 483 years Messiah is cut off or crucified (Roman Empire, 4th Beast) and Jerusalem destroyed in 70AD by the same empire. DANIEL'S PROPHECY OF 70 WEEKS
(Click here for Kay's Lectures on Daniel 9: Lecture 14, Lecture 15, Lecture 16; Click for additional notes on Daniel 9:24-27:Part 1 and Part 2) So when the first seal is broken it could possibly correlate with the FIRM COVENANT in Dan 9:27 made for 7 years. If that covenant is broken then you have 2 periods of 3 1/2 years and at the end of the second period the ''one who makes desolate'' is destroyed. Why would the 1st seal correlate with the covenant? For one thing this brings the final judgment upon the earth when Christ our Redeemer is redeeming the earth and His people. But there is another reason: 4). At the time of the first seal, a covenant is signed with the many: So somewhere around this first seal we have a Temple being built, because the sacrifices and offerings are stopped 3 1/2 years after that covenant is made. 5). From the first seal up to the 6th Trumpet Kay believes we have the ministry of the 2 witnesses. When the 6th Trumpet is blown, the 2nd woe is over and there is one left.
Abyss refers to where demons are kept and where the dead are. So in Rev 6:1 the Antichrist goes forth conquering and to conquer, somewhere near the 3 1/2 years the Antichrist has a mortal wound and dies but is resurrected from the dead. He is then able to put to death the 2 witnesses that have been troubling the earth. The 2 witnesses would have freedom bc there is a peace covenant with the Jews and a temple… so it seems at that time that the Jews are on the ''winning team''.
SETTING FOR THE ''CONFLICT OF THE AGES'' Kay believes that the ANTICHRIST comes forth from the 10 kings, is conquering, dies, is resurrected from the dead, puts the two witnesses to death causing the entire world to be amazed at the beast and to give him their power. At that point the power that raises him from the dead and gives him his power to rule is from the DRAGON. Thus here we see the CONFLICT OF THE AGES culminating in the last 3 1/2 years with the CHRIST defeating the ANTICHRIST. Since the ANTICHRIST wants to be like the CHRIST, and he wants to rule (conquering and to conquer… to rule over Israel… to rule over the world) and these various RULES begin in the last 3 1/2 years. He performs signs including putting to death the TWO WITNESSES. From this point on you have the ANTICHRIST fully manifested for who he really is. THE BEAST WHO IS CARRYING BABYLON Rev 17:7 And 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, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 "The beast that you saw was and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss (in other words the beast was EXISTING at the FIRST SEAL and he is about to come out of the abyss… at the 7th Trumpet, the middle of Daniel's 70th week) and to go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth will wonder, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come. 9 "Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits, 10 and they are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while. 11 "And the beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction. THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE 7 HEADED BEAST = the one that ''is'' was ROME but it would come back as the REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE. The 8th is one of the 7 but when the 8th comes the 7th only remains a little while so in the last days of the 10 horns, in the days of the Antichrist, there is a Revived Roman Empire (''revived 4th Beast''). That Revived Beast with 10 horns gives rise to the LITTLE HORN, who is one of the 7, and when he comes out he is an 8th. He takes over the Roman Empire at the middle of the 7 years and at that time he is the only power and all the others, including the 3 that he has conquered and the rest look at him and give him their kingdom and rule with him until the very END. But he is supreme. 'Remain a little while' = When Rome is revived it remains only a little while. The 5 that are fallen are (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and the one that ''is'' as John writes Revelation in 70AD, Rome, then Revived Rome which gives Israel the right to rebuild their Temple and also gives rise to the Antichrist who is one of the 7 but is the 8th and he is the final power. That's what we see in Rev 13 and that is what we will look at next week when we look at ''Beauty and the Beast''. |