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Now, here's today's message from Pastor Skip. As we begin, I want to read to you a few statements, four statements that were made by a pretty prominent leader at one time. He said this as a Christian I have no duty to allow myself to be cheated, but I have the duty to be a fighter for truth and justice. Powerful statement. Another one, he said, I believe that today my conduct is in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator.
A third statement: mankind has grown strong in eternal struggles. and will only perish through eternal peace. And finally, he wrote concerning his own nation: for the first time, our streets will be safer, our police more efficient. and the world will follow our lead. All of those statements were made in the 1930s by Adolf Hitler.
the Chancellor of Germany. He sounded so peaceful. And he had so many. believing that he was such a wonderful guy. One man wrote in his diary after being with Hitler, All sorts of people who have met Hitler are convinced that he is a factor for peace.
He does not seek war, but friendship. A previous Prime Minister of England. Named Lloyd George met Adolf Hitler after one hour, said, Hitler is the greatest. Living German. And then one year later, He said, I only wish we had a man of his supreme quality at the head of affairs in our country today.
Even the Anglican Church was awed at Adolf Hitler, saying he is moral. and ethical. And makes a clear stand for religion. There was only one man in England who was not deceived, his name was Winston Churchill. He said, I'm not convinced.
There's something up with this guy. It's bad news blues. Daniel chapter 7 describes a leader who is coming to this world who will make Adolf Hitler look Docile. And what happened in Nazi Germany? like child's play.
It is a ruler who will dominate the earth. It is a ruler who will persuade. And awe. The people of this world. He has known.
most typically as the Antichrist. The Antichrist. A lot of people don't take that seriously. People in the world certainly don't take the Antichrist seriously. Come on, that's a movie.
They put the the Antichrist in the category of The Easter Bunny. Santa Claus. Fictional.
Some of you have that look like You mean you're saying there's no Santa Claus? Daniel describes him, and he does so at length. Let's look at chapter 7. Let's pick it up at verse 8. Though we read several verses last time we were together in Daniel.
and covered this let's just kind of cover it all in one and then we'll make some remarks about his character. Verse 8, I was considering the horns, this is his vision, and there was another horn, a little one. coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there in this horn. were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.
I watched till thrones were put in place. And the ancient of days was seated. His garment was white as snow. The hair of his head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire.
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him. A thousand, thousands ministered to him. Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and and the books were opened. I watched then, because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking.
I watched till the beast was slain. and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. I was watching in the night visions. And behold, one like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven.
He came to the Ancient of Days. and they brought him near before him. Then to him was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom. That all peoples, nations, languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away.
and his kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed. I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the vision of my head troubled me. I came near to one who stood by and asked him the truth of all this.
So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things. Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever. Then I wish to know the truth about the fourth beast. which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful.
whose teeth of iron, its nails of bronze, which devoured broken pieces and trampled the residue with its feet. and the ten horns that were on its head. And the other horn which came up before which three fell, namely, the horn, which had eyes, and a mouth which spoke pompous words. whose appearance was greater than his fellows. I was watching.
And the same horn was was making war against the saints and prevailing against them. Until the Ancient of Days came and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High. And the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom. Then he said, The fourth beast. shall be a fourth kingdom on earth.
which shall be different from all other kingdoms. shall devour the whole earth, trample it in pieces, and break it in pieces. The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall arise after them, he shall be different from the first ones. and shall subdue three kings.
He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High. and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into the hand into his hand for. A time And times. and half a time.
But the court shall be seated. And they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it forever. Then the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
This is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel. My thoughts greatly troubled me, my countenance changed. But I kept The matter. in my heart.
Just to refresh your memory, Daniel chapter 7 is a prophetic panorama. Of what happens from the time of Daniel throughout history until Jesus Christ. comes back in a very compressed form. Chapter 7 is the panoramic view. This is important.
Chapters eight through twelve will take portions of chapter seven and expand or highlight. An element or elements of it. Basically, Daniel sees four beasts that come out of the earth. We already covered that last time we were together. These are four kingdoms, world empires, just like the dream that Nebuchadnezzar had in chapter two.
But that is not the main theme of this chapter. It's not that this kingdom and then that kingdom and that kingdom, that's included, but the main theme of chapter 7. Is the kingdom of God Through his son, Jesus Christ. The main Theme of chapter seven is that history, human history. culminates When God the Father gives to God the Son an everlasting kingdom.
And we're going to take time and consider the coming of Christ. As mentioned also in this chapter, but Today I want to talk to you about this other Personality called the Antichrist.
Now, as you can expect throughout history, there have been many guesses as to who the Antichrist is. I mean, it gets crazy. But here's the sampling. Early Christians believed it was Caesar Nero because of his persecutions against them. Others believed it was the Emperor Caligula.
Because in 37 AD he put an image of himself in the Jerusalem temple. Others guessed it would be Charlemagne. Napoleon Hitler Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. John F. Kennedy Henry Kissinger Sun, young moon.
Ronald Reagan Bill Clinton Bill Gates And Barack Obama have all been called the Antichrist by Different groups of people. I guess it depends on what side you're on, right? You're the Antichrist. I think it's safe to say that none of the aforementioned were or are the Antichrist. We want to look at who that personality is, and there's basically four words that describe him.
Ruler Speaker Oppressor. Loser. He will be a powerful ruler. He will be a prideful speaker. He will be a painful oppressor.
But he will be the principal loser. Let's look at the first one. He's going to be a powerful ruler. You noticed in verse 8 and verse 11 and verse 20 and verse 21 that this person is described in vision form as a little horn. that comes up.
A little horn. A horn signifies A strong ruler. An animal's horn was the animal's strength. It was used as a weapon. and it was a symbol of power and might.
Several times in Scripture, a notable one is Psalm 75, where the Lord says, All the horns of the wicked I will cut off. But the horns of the righteous will be exalted.
So Little Bighorn. Or you might say Big Littlehorn. This little horn has big plans, and his plans are world domination. To take over everything, and he will increase in strength. because he will need to subdue three kings.
that are mentioned to rule. This is Connect with Skip Heidzig. Before we return to Pastor Skip's message, think about this. If we really are living in the last days, wouldn't you want to know? The Bible doesn't leave us guessing about the future.
It offers clear prophecies, solid truth. and real hope to anchor your faith in uncertain times. That's why this month, we'd like to send you two resources from Pastor Skip. The Bible from 30,000 feet 2 CD teaching from Daniel. and his booklet, Are We Living in the Last Days?
These explain key end times passages, how they apply today, and how to live with confidence in Christ. They're yours when you give $25 or more to support Connect with Skip Heitzig. Request yours at connectwithskiff.com slash offer or call 800-922. Mm-hmm. Let's return now to today's message.
Now Chapter 7 The Antichrist is called the Little Horn. In chapter 8, He's called the king. a fierce countenance. In chapter 9, he is called the prince that shall come. And in chapter 11, he is called the Willful King.
Different names, all speaking of the same person, the final ruler before Jesus Christ comes back. He's most famously known, or should I say infamously known, as the Antichrist. That's what most people, most Christians, refer to him as and speak to him. with that name, the Antichrist, or about him with that name. But did you know that there are over 25 titles?
of the Antichrist in the scripture. Revelation 13 calls him the beast. Jesus Christ called him the abomination that causes desolation. referring to what Daniel spoke of? Paul the Apostle in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2.
Calls him the lawless one, the man of sin, the son of perdition. But Daniel was the first guy to speak about him very explicitly and comprehensively. When we get to the New Testament and the church has been established, the earliest Christians had heard about the Antichrist. They knew all about him. John writes in 1 John chapter 2.
Little children. You have heard that Antichrist is coming.
Now where'd they hear that? Probably somebody had been teaching them the book of Daniel. You have heard that Antichrist is coming.
They heard that because they heard people teaching it in their churches. They knew about it. Certainly, Paul described it. Certainly, Jesus spoke about him. But all of that was based upon what Daniel wrote about him principally in.
Daniel chapter 7. Notice a couple of things about him. In verse 20, it says, His appearance is greater than his fellows. The word means chief. Or ruler.
He will seem stronger. He will have to be stronger to subdue these three kings and to dominate the ten. In verse 8 and in verse 20, he has eyes. What a weird vision. I saw a little horn come up and these little eyes blinking.
Eyes signifies insight. Intelligence. I believe he will be very clever and very shrewd. I think he's going to have remarkable mental acumen. Mental ability.
to give advice and to solve problems. I think he's going to be so... Enamoring.
so overwhelmingly attractive to people. Because in Revelation 13, the world will say, says this: They wondered after the beast and said, Who is like the beast? Translation, wow. This guy is at creme de la creme. They wondered after him.
I can't prove it, but I believe. Jesus was referring to him when he said, In John chapter 5, I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. Another will come in his own name. Him you will receive.
So somehow, this little horn, this coming powerful ruler. Is going to be attached to the ancient Roman Empire that fragmented, that broke up. and ten fragments will re-emerge.
Some way, somehow.
Now, if you know your history, you know that the Roman Empire, Rome itself, was. Attacked by a whole bunch of different hordes of barbarian tribes, including the Franks and the Huns and the Saxons and the Vandals and the Visigoths. And that the city of Rome was sacked eventually in 476 AD by the Visigoths. But That's not the whole Roman Empire. The Roman Empire in 395 AD, about eighty years before, had split into two legs.
One in the west, one in the east. The west was Rome, the east was Constantinople. Modern day Istanbul. In that sense, the Eastern Roman Empire continued for yet another thousand years. It was different from all of these other world-governing empires that existed.
Now, what the final form of this will be, I do not know, and I'm not prepared to say definitively. For years, people guessed it was the European Economic Community, a revived Roman Empire where the Euro gets strong, and 10 European nations. I'm going to suggest to you in a couple weeks that There is a system in place right now upon the earth that is growing so rapidly. And so frighteningly. That it fits the prophetic picture, I believe, better than anything else.
It's very, very scary, but... But you're going to have to wait for a couple of weeks to get that. And somebody will protest and say, come on, this is this is. This is modern time. The idea of a single world dictator.
In the midst of modern political structure, that's not going to happen. Hold that thought. You gotta hold it for two weeks, but hold that thought. He's going to be a powerful ruler. According to Scripture.
The second remarkable thing to note is he will be a prideful speaker. Verse 8. Verse 11. Verse 20 and verse 25. Describe this little horn coming up, not only with eyes, but with a mouth.
It can speak. This ruler, I believe, will have incredible oratorical ability. He'll be very articulate. Revelation 13, describing the beast, said, He was given a mouth speaking great things. He's going to have Communicate so effectively that he'll be able to.
Bring peace in the Middle East.
Now just imagine that. That's been a jigsaw puzzle no one has been able to solve. He's going to be able to solve it. In Revelation chapter 6, you can just make a note of this, don't have to turn there. The Antichrist is described as the rider on the white horse.
He's the first of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. We are told in that chapter I saw a white horse and a rider on that horse who went out conquering and to conquer.
Now that is not Jesus Christ. That's the Antichrist. Jesus Christ is the rider on the white horse in Revelation chapter 19. That judges that present kingdom of the Antichrist and brings peace to the earth after that. The writer in chapter 6, we know it's not Jesus because he brings with him death, destruction, disease, and desperation, bloody carnage upon the earth.
Go, yeah, but he's on a white horse. Remember the old Westerns? Remember the bad guys were on the black horses with the black hats, the good guys on the white horses with the white hats?
So if you were a really bad guy, but you wanted to. Um Fake people out. You'd put on a white hat. You get on a white horse. The Antichrist will be the ultimate wolf in sheep's clothing.
And he will be very, very confident. Because it says he spoke pompous words. Inflated words. Low self-esteem will not be his problem. You will exude self-confidence.
I heard about a guy from Texas who went to Niagara Falls. You know, everything's big in Texas. Everything's better in Texas. If you're a Texan, please, I'm not offending you. I'm a Californian, so there.
This Texan went and saw Niagara Falls, and his host pointed out the beautiful falls, the magnificent. He said, You got anything that big in Texas? The Texans said, nope, but we got plumbers who can fix that.
Well, the Antichrist is going to come to fix that. He's going to fix all the bad stuff that has happened in the world, all the leaks in the world. and he will be able with his speech to persuade. people. One commentator said he will have the oratorical skill of a John Kennedy.
the inspirational power of a Winston Churchill, The determination of a Joseph Stalin The vision of a Karl Marx, the respectability of a Mahatma Gandhi, the military prowess of a Douglas MacArthur, the charm of a Will Rogers, the genius of a King Solomon. Imagine having all that wrapped up into one person. Charming, disarming. clever problem solver. But he's going to be dangerous because his enticing speech At some point in his career, it will turn to blasphemous speech.
Look at verse 25, and just note. He shall speak pompous words against the Most High. This guy's gonna have a mouth. And with all of his ability to schmooze. An ability to persuade at some point in his short career.
He's going to turn on people. and reveal who he really is. Revelation 13. Tells us he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God. To blaspheme his name, tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.
That's probably going to happen. In the middle of the tribulation period, you probably know the tribulation according to Daniel and Revelation will last seven years. The last half of the seven years, the last three and a half years, is called the Great Tribulation. What marks the difference between the first and second half is an event called the Abomination. of desolation.
Jesus spoke about it. Daniel spoke about it. That's when the Antichrist, the world ruler, the Little Bighorn, the big mouth. announces to the world I want you to know that I am the one you should worship. I am the one who is your Lord and God.
Paul the Apostle, Second Thessalonians two, speaking of him. Said he will oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. He'll be able to schmooze Arab and Jew and bring peace. Will allow the Jews to have their temple, but eventually. Eventually.
He's going to want to worship. Who does that sound like? Could it be Satan? Remember that? That's who it is.
The devil is the one who said, I will be like the Most High. He wanted to be worshiped. Still does. His agenda has never changed. The Antichrist will be his ambassador.
So we have an interesting description of a powerful ruler who is a prideful speaker. There's a third mark about him that is noteworthy. He will be a painful oppressor, verse 21. I was watching. And the same horn was making war against the saints.
That's what he's using the horn for: the power, the strength. is to make war against the saints prevailing against them. And look at the 25th verse. He'll speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and intend to change. Times And law.
Once he succeeds in dominating the world, Then the Holocaust begins. And in the last half of the seven-year period, It will be. Hell on Earth. It's the only way to describe it. Jesus said, That time was the same.
will be far worse than any other period of human history. And it will be horrific. We're so glad you joined us today for Connect with Skiff Heitzig. Before we go, remember to request Pastor Skip's 2 CD teaching from Daniel, Bible from 30,000 feet. and his booklet, Are We Living in the Last Days?
They'll give you clarity and confidence about the days ahead. And they're yours when you give $25 or more to support Connect with Skip Heitzig. Call 800-922-1888 or visit connectwithskip.com slash offer. And while you're there, sign up for the 30K 30-day challenge and take your Bible study deeper. Come back next time for more verse-by-verse teaching of God's Word here on Connect with Skip-Heitzig.
Make him connect. Make a connection at the foot of the crossing. Cast your burdens on his wood. Make a connection. Connection.
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