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"Teaching the things concerning the kingdom of God..."
FROM THE CANDLESTICK TO THE THRONE
Part 153
THE
And I
beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and
he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon (Rev. 13:11).
We have
discussed the first of two beasts, the beast which came up out of the sea. By the spirit of truth we understand that that
beast which combined within itself the appearance of a leopard, a bear, and a lion, which
had seven heads and ten horns, is the symbol of the BESTIAL WORLD SYSTEM OF MAN. Now we are presented with a second beast! And to prevent any misunderstanding at all, let me
say from the outset that there is a definite relation between the first beast and the
second beast. The full picture is just this. The second beast rises up out of the earth. He
is less formidable in appearance. First of
all, his origin is not in the depths of the stormy sea, but from the more quiet and more
stable earth. He strikes you as looking like a
lamb, for he has two horns like lambs horns, yet when he speaks, he sounds like the
awful red dragon. And there is a very definite
connection between these two beasts. Repeatedly
this is
THE
ANTICHRIST
Nearly all
Fundamentalist, Evangelical, Pentecostal, and
For years
teachers of the Word have been speculating upon the identity of antichrist and the date of
his appearance on the world scene. Unfortunately,
all these speculations have turned out to be mistakes, which mistakes have to be changed
and revised continually to meet changing conditions. It
is very humiliating to have world events continually follow a course exactly opposite to
that which has been mapped out by ones prophetic teaching, and to have ones
predictions proven false almost before the ink is dry on his paper. The church today is full of energetic and sincere
preachers and teachers who are just full and bubbling over concerning things that are
going to happen. They tell us that sometime,
after certain events have transpired, or before certain other events will happen, there
will be a super-deceiver who will arise to show great signs and wonders, gaining political
power over all the nations of earth, and
ushering in a reign of terror and a time of tribulation unprecedented in the history of
the world.
Those of my
readers who are well advanced in age remember when the world staggered beneath the weight
of the great depression of the 1930s. The
planet and all things on it seemed to suddenly fall apart.
Thousands of earnest and well-meaning saints believed that this was the
certain herald of the end of the age. In 1933,
Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced the famous ill-fated N.R.A. (National Recovery
Administration) and immediately preachers all over the country got up in their pulpits and
preached spellbinding sermons that had their congregations bulging at the eyes in
astonishment about the N.R.A. being the Mark of the Beast.
Then the Supreme Court tossed the N.R.A. into the scrap basket as
unconstitutional, and preachers all over
In the days of
my youth, one of the first books I seriously studied on prophetic subjects was one setting
forth
Some students of
prophecy, for lack of anything else to speculate on following the Second World War, took
up the story of a famous
In more recent
years we have heard some teaching that Henry Kissinger was the antichrist, or David
Rockefeller, or Anwar Sadat, or Mikhail Gorbachev because he had that little birthmark on
his head, or Ronald Reagan because he had six letters in his name, or Saddam Hussein
because he was from
All who have
truly received the call to sonship and have received a revelation of the present truth of
God have forever ceased listening to all the drivel pouring forth from the lips and pens
of these carnal-minded deceivers. Apart from
the spirit of
Suppose I were a
pursued fugitive. Now, if I could get my
pursuers sidetracked and get them to fire on a stuffed dummy made to represent myself,
they would thus, by diverting their fire from me, aid in my escape. Satan has a dummy antichrist set up, a horrible
creature who will
The detrimental
and deceiving effect of the notion of antichrist being some world leader past or present
or future, is, that while people have their eyes focused on world events, they are not
alert to discern his presence now and that gives him opportunity to do a great
deceptive work right in their midst. The old
serpent is still very crafty, my beloved, and if he can keep us peering out into the mists
of either the past or the future, we will overlook the reality in our own generation and
time, and within our very own lives. Little children, it is the very last time: and as
ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we
know that it is the last time (I Jn. 2:18).
Ah, my brother, my sister, the Christian Church, for the past two thousand
years, has been literally filled with antichrists! And
the present-day crop is busily engaged in pointing the finger of accusation at some poor
defenseless and fictitious person who is supposed to appear at some
In this
connection I like the story about a cluster of small boys, obviously without the price of
admission, who milled about near one of the entrance gates to a football stadium. An observer said to the ticket-taker in a voice
resonant with authority, Let these kids in and tell me how many there are. The boys filed in and scampered
The beast out of
the earth, however, is not the so-called
antichrist! In fact, the word antichrist is
not even found in the book of Revelation! There
is no evidence to support the practice of taking certain events in the Revelation and
connecting them with what the scriptures say about antichrist. Quoting verses from one book of the Bible and
claiming that they correspond to statements in another book of the Bible does not
constitute truth. As we will see, the modern
doctrine of antichrist is an amalgamation of biblical concepts and events that either are
unrelated or find their fulfillment historically or spiritually. This is why confusion persists! Modern antichrist hunters are pursuing a figure who
does not exist. The description they give of
him is taken from passages other than those which actually speak of antichrist. Keep in mind that most modern-day Bible teachers
mistakenly use the words antichrist and beast interchangeably, although there is absolutely
no evidence for such a use anywhere in the Bible! So
generally, when a Christian hears the word antichrist
he thinks of the beast in the book of
Revelation. This is a mistaken and an absurd
notion! People hear things taught as gospel
truth and though they dont know where the scriptural proof for them is they assume
they must be so.
Do you know what the Bible really says about the
antichrist? You may be surprised! As much as we have heard preachers speak on the
subject of antichrist, one would be led to believe that the term is mentioned a thousand
times in the Bible. The fact is, the
antichrist is mentioned only five times in the
whole Bible and not one of these four mentions of the antichrist is in any of the Bibles
prophetical books. Not one of them is in
either the book of Daniel or the book of Revelation! The
word antichrist is not found in the teachings of Jesus, neither do we find the
word in the Old Testament. What can we show
from scripture, and what is mere speculation? To
find out, lets think about all we have heard. All
those things that Christians supposedly know about the antichrist.
According to what the preachers and teachers proclaim, antichrist is supposed to:
1.
Appear at the end of the age.
2.
Rule the world for three and a half years as a
good leader and three and
a half years as an evil leader.
3.
Make a covenant with the
Jews
4. Rebuild the temple in
5. Reinstitute
6. Turn against the state of Israel,
breaking his covenant (second three and a half
Years).
7. Stop
8. Set up an image of himself and
cause all to worship it.
9. Put a mark (666) on everyone in
the world.
10. Start the battle of Armageddon.
11. Persecute the Great Tribulation
saints.
12. Other misc. legends, depending on the
If you can
accept it, not one of these ideas can in any way
be associated with anything said in the four verses where antichrist is
mentioned in scripture! Not a single one! And most are total fabrications! It reminds me of the story of King Charles II of
A German Prince
was once visiting a certain city. When greeted
by a deputation from the Town Counsel he expressed great surprise that his arrival had not
been heralded by salvoes of cannon. The
Burgomaster, who had a sense of humor, replied that there were a hundred reasons for the
omission. Asked by the prince what they were,
he began: In the first place we have no cannon; in the second we Now, broke in the prince, your
first reason is so good that I dont want to hear the other ninety-nine. That answer comes to mind as one reflects on the
theory of the end-time one-man antichrist and all the stupendous things attributed to him. We wait in vain for one strong argument that simply
compels us to consider their view. Take a
searchlight. Take all the suns and moons and
stars,
When we begin to
see truth as revealed by the Spirit of Truth it is so dramatically different from what we
have been taught that sometimes our first response is to think it is a heresy, a lie. The preaching of concepts like the rapture,
seven-year tribulation, superman antichrist, one-world government, rebuilt Jewish temple,
eternal hell and damnation, etc., has had such impact upon the Lords people that
they actually think those things are true. And
I can tell you unequivocally that such teachings scripturally have not a leg to stand
upon! I know that the vast majority of those
reading these lines have long ago been
There was a time
only some 400 years ago when the people of the world believed that the earth
was the center of the universe. The scientists
Copernicus and Galileo observed the movements of the heavenly bodies and reached the
conclusion, and Galileo was finally able to demonstrate, that the earth and other planets
revolve around the sun, and not the sun around the earth as people believed. This was a daring thing to say in that day, it
seemed completely illogical and absolutely contradictory to all external appearances, and
was at first considered a dangerous and heretical teaching.
Galileo was forced by the Roman Catholic Church to stop publishing his
discoveries for many years. While today it is
difficult for you and me to comprehend how deep and dark that ignorance was, it was the
accepted scientific opinion for thousands of years! Five
hundred years ago the whole world believed the earth was
Now, lets
look at every verse in the Bible which mentions antichrist by name. Dont worry, it is a very short list. If you think there are others, get your concordance
out and find them. Or read the whole book of
Daniel and the entire book of Revelation and watch closely for the term antichrist. Though
I have searched the scriptures diligently I have not been able to find another single
verse!
Little
children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we
know that it is the last time (I
Jn. 2:18).
Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is
the Christ? He is antichrist,, that denieth the Father and the
Son (I Jn. 2:22).
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit
that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that
confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have
heard that it should come, and even now already is
it in the world (I Jn. 4:2-3).
For many deceivers are entered into the world,
who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.
This is a deceiver and an antichrist
(II Jn. 7).
Hard as it may
be to believe, thats all of them! There
are only four verses in the whole Bible which mention the antichrist by name. That doesnt fit with what we have heard about
the antichrist at all, does it? Sorry, that is still all the references there are! That is every verse which mentions the antichrist! And everything the Bible has to say about the
antichrist is found in those four verses. Everything
else we have heard is pure speculation and hyperbole!
Do these verses say anything about a beast? Do they say anything about a Great Tribulation?
Do they say anything about a world
government? Do they say anything about a mark or a number? Do they say anything about a temple? Do
they say anything about an image or about worship? Do
they say anything about a battle of Armageddon? If they do, I really missed it! It is obvious from reading these passages that John
had no conception of some great
Gods
penman, nearly two millenniums ago wrote, that as the coming of the antichrist heralds the
last hour, therefore, since there were at that time many antichrists, this
fact proved that he himself was living even then in the last hour. And if he, John the beloved, saw many antichrists
in his day, after only a few decades of progression into the church age, how much more may
we today say that there are many antichrists after two thousand years of
apostasy and shame, during which time the Holy Spirit also witnessed that evil men
and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived (II Tim. 3:13). How much more should we today expect to find the
church full of these antichrists, since God also promised that in this same age there will be a time when they
will not endure wholesome instruction, but, having itching ears, will accumulate teachers
for themselves, according to their own lusts; and they shall indeed turn away from the
hearing of the truth, and be turned aside to fables (II Tim. 4:3-4).
John saw many
antichrists in his day. The number has been
increasing steadily, all through the years, decades, and centuries, until we now find
ourselves surrounded with these men. But who
are they, what are they, and how do we recognize them?
First, let us
consider the meaning of the word. It comes
from a compound Greek word made up of the preposition anti and the Greek word for Christ which is christos. Anti
is a Greek word meaning opposed to or instead of or both of these meanings. The Greek word christos means anointed. When anti is
compounded with a noun signifying an agent of any kind, or functionary, the compound
signifies a vice-functionary, or a functionary of the same kind opposing, or usurping the
place of, or sometimes both. Some apply only
the first meaning a person against Christ. The Jews, pagans, communists, and members of
non-Christian religions of all kinds have always been against Christ. But such a broad application of the word could not
be what was meant by John. His description is
far more specific than this!
When John spoke
of certain people which were of the spirit of antichrist, he did not refer to all opposers of Christ. Instead, he referred to a certain class of people
apostates who were teaching things
contrary to the reality that is in Christ. These
were not openly against Christ, they were professing believers and apparent ministers of Christ! These were no longer in accord with those who abode
in the truth as it is in Jesus, for John says of these antichrists,
even now there are many antichrists
they went out from us, but they were not of us; for
if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out,
that they might be manifest that they were not all of us (I Jn. 2:18-19). Therefore we find that Johns use of the
word antichrist signifies not merely one who opposes Christ, but one who sets
himself up in the place of Christ, appropriating some of the attributes of Christ, but
substituting error in the place of truth, and form in the place of reality. Anything that is placed instead of Christ is literally antichrist. Have we not embraced and practiced a lot of
religious attitudes, ideas, beliefs, doctrines, rituals, ceremonies, sacraments,
ordinances, traditions, forms, means, and methods which have TAKEN THE PLACE OF TRUTH AND
REALITY in our lives! These certainly
contained bits and shades of truth and life, but they were NOT THE LIVING REALITY OF
If at any time
we accept an instead of rather than HIS WORD AND WILL AND LIFE WORKING WITHIN
US, we have embraced that which is antichrist.
It is not merely that which is in direct opposition to Christ, but also
includes anything which of itself might be good, but is used or relied upon instead of the inward life of the Spirit. And, beloved saints, the battle is not so much an
outward one, but an inner conflict, until we are so cleansed by His refining fire, so
purged of
I do not believe there is any way to adequately explain,
imagine, or even understand the many ways this spirit of antichrist works. Even before the apostles had passed from this life,
a spirit and system had set in among the saints of the Lord and many people were wearing
the
Before too many
years had passed men began to set themselves up as lords over Gods
people in place of the headship of Christ. Instead
of conquering by the power of the spirit and by truth as in the early days
men began to substitute their ideas and their
methods. Soon the glory and power, the
presence of God in the morning-time church began to be eclipsed, and the power of
carnal-minded men and outward works and forms gradually took the place of the awesome power of the Christ
within. Consequently, mans carnal
understanding was put upon the scriptures, and as the spirit of Christ fled from their
midst, men established a vast and elaborate system of substitutes to
take the place of reality. When one does not
possess reality then something else will be used to fill the void to take the place
instead of an ANTICHRIST!
The powerful,
mighty, glorious presence of the
Some people tell
me that nowhere in the New Testament is the expression the antichrist used. That, however, is a great error. It is true that the King James Bible does not refer
to the antichrist it speaks of antichrist, antichrists, and an antichrist.
But the Greek
Now let us read
the correct translation from the interlinear word for word rendering from the Greek. Because
many deceivers entered into the world, who not confessing Jesus Anointed coming in flesh, this is the deceiver and the antichrist (II Jn. 7, Emphatic
Diaglott). There you have it! Let me ask Who is the antichrist? The many deceivers who have gone out into the
world, who do not confess Jesus Christ coming in the flesh these very deceivers ARE
THE ANTICHRIST! Can anything be simpler or
plainer than that? As clear as this testimony
is, John has given us yet another identification of the antichrist just as clear, certain,
and powerful as the above. In I John 2:22 the
Greek
Yet
what does John really mean when he speaks of denying the Father and the Son? Let us make no mistake about this! Fortunately, a little further on John himself
enlarges on this statement so that we need not be left in the dark. Beloved,
believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God: because many false
prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby
know ye the Spirit of God: EVERY SPIRIT THAT CONFESSETH THAT JESUS CHRIST IS COME IN THE
FLESH IS OF GOD: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the
flesh is not of God: and THIS IS THAT SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST, whereof ye have heard that it
should come; and even now already is in the world (I Jn. 4:1-3).
Now let us get
these statements clear in our minds. John
declares an antichrist to be one who denies that Jesus is the Christ, which is denying the
Father and the Son. But how does he do this? BY NOT CONFESSING JESUS CHRIST COMING IN THE FLESH! But what does this mean? It states that we know the Spirit of God by His
confessing Jesus Christ coming in flesh. Does
this mean that Roman Catholicism is the Spirit of God?
It confesses that Jesus Christ was a man, born of a virgin. It confesses that He came in the flesh as a babe in
These verses
obviously have a deeper meaning! They are not
considering the fact of Jesus Christ having lived on earth as a man. Any Christian will admit that Jesus Christ came as
a man and lived on this earth. Can we not see
that it is not a matter of confessing the existence of
the Father and the Son? The words of Paul to
Titus demonstrate vividly the truth we are dealing with.
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny Him
being in every good
work reprobate (Titus 1:16). Here we
learn that men can deny God without denying His
existence. In works they deny
Him. Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man
will come after me, let him deny himself
I am certain that all will agree that Jesus
did not mean that a man should deny his own existence!
But if any man provide not for
his own, and especially those of his own house, he hath denied the faith. It is inconceivable to imagine that a lazy
brother has repudiated and turned his back on the faith of Jesus simply because he is not
providing for his family! You see, my beloved,
denying means acting
contrary to. The lazy brother has
acted contrary to the truth he professes. The
following verse illustrates this truth so beautifully, Denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world (Titus 2:12). Thus, denying
ungodliness means living a Godly life, acting contrary to our former lifestyle!
The
antichrist denies that Christ is come in the flesh. And
the profound truth which all of popular religion has missed, is the fact of the Christ
actually coming into this flesh, my flesh, your
flesh, and becoming an eternal and inseparable part of us! Referring to the expression is come one
Greek scholar points out that it is the Greek perfect, which implies not a mere historical
fact, as would be the case if another tense were used, but a blessed continuance of the
fact and its blessed effects. Hear it! And
every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ IS (now) COME in the flesh is not of
God: and THIS is that spirit of antichrist
YE are of God, little children, and have
overcome them: because greater is HE THAT IS I-N
Y-O-U, than he that IS IN THE WORLD (I Jn. 4:3-4). These words reveal to us the great truth that John,
when speaking of confessing that Jesus Christ IS COME in the flesh, is referring to His
coming in the members of His body on earth and
not in the historical man Jesus who walked the
shores of blue
Christ
liveth IN ME,
Oh, that men
might believe it! Truly, Christ in us is our
only hope of glory! HE IS the glory! But antichrist will hear of no such hope of glory. His hope does not rest wholly in the Christ within,
but in his own ability and works, his own faithfulness and endurance. He is cluttered about with myriad religious
exercises and works, all of which are designed to assure his right standing with God. He is thus denying the Father and the Son, for the living Christ alone is not his life! Anything that adds
something to the Christ-life within, to fill some place or function in our lives that
is not filled by THE LIFE OF CHRIST ALONE is
antichrist! Those who have truly received
the call to sonship have now learned, and learned well, that there is no need for any of
the religious trappings in the walk of sonship, for
Let us bow in
holy reverence to worship and adore, and to live and walk in the blessed reality of such
an high and holy calling! Stop seeking
anything at all from or through the myriad substitutes
pawned by the countless modern day antichrists of the church systems of man. These external religious observances will not
suffice for those destined for the throne, neither will any of it satisfy the deepest
cravings of your heart after God! CHRIST
HIMSELF IS SUFFICIENT! This is the confession
of every son of God, the confession that Jesus Christ Himself has come in our flesh. In the name of Jesus Christ, divorce yourself
completely and forever from all the substitutes, the realm of the instead of CHRIST WITHIN YOU IS
Only
the formation of Christ within us can bring us into our true stature and relationship to
our Father. Sonship is Christ formed in each member of Gods elect! This spirit of sonship is both ageless and
deathless, the actual son of the Father in heaven. He
abides eternally in this human identity, even as he abides eternally in Jesus to perform
His mighty works. And it is a union which is
becoming a glorious and eternal reality within Gods sons in this great day of the
Lord! But many deceivers are
entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.
This is the deceiver and the antichrist (II Jn. 7). These deceivers acknowledge the historical Christ
of two thousand years ago, but they recognize Him not as having returned in mighty spirit
power within the CHRIST BODY. These deceivers
speak much of sweet Jesus in some far-off heaven somewhere, but they reject the
manifestation of Him through the members of His body upon earth!
Antichrist is
not some demon possessed ruler, but the spirit that is in thousands of preachers and
messages today, in that they deny the Christ that has now come in the flesh. Yet they sing with great fervor that they would
like to be like Jesus. How in the world could
we be conformed to the image of Gods Son if the very spirit of sonship is not
activating in our body of flesh, to bring us into conformity with His likeness. We know of no other way to live like Jesus, speak
like Jesus, and do the works of Jesus, except that Jesus Christ dwells, speaks, and acts
within us. Because Satan has people looking
for an antichrist who will reign from a Jewish temple in
Not only do we
not deny that the Christ is come in the flesh, but every spirit that confesses His
Thus a
transliteration of this Greek word into the English would be this: same-word. What Jesus is saying here, then, in a most
literal translation of the Greek is this, what is to me a most glorious thought: Whosoever therefore shall same-word me before men, him will I also same-word before my Father which is in heaven. And, in an expansion of that which I consider
most significant even critical to our full understanding of this, it would
go on to read in the Luke passage: Also I say
unto you (that) whosoever shall same-word me
before men, him shall the Son of man same-word before
the angels of God.
I
cannot write these words without hearing a word Dick Leland ministered in which he said,
Jesus was the word when He was speaking, and He was the word when He was not
speaking! Every act that Jesus
performed, every word that Jesus spoke, every silence (as when He refused to answer the
Pharisees who brought the woman taken in adultery) and every inaction (as when He
deliberately
May
I add as I see it, Jesus said and did only what He heard His Father say and saw His
Father do in heaven, and the Father honored that same-wording by causing every word Jesus
spoke and every action He took to be validated on earth.
And now, blessed be God, when the younger brethren of our Lord same-word Him
on earth, He same-words them before His Father, thus releasing the life and the power and
the glory to bring forth the manifestation of the
sons of God in the earth! That is the
mystery!
To be continued
J. PRESTON EBY
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