SERIES: 27 Daniel - I Dare You MESSAGE: I Dare You: Decide! SPEAKER: Skip Heitzig SCRIPTURE: Daniel 7:8-28

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1 SERIES: 27 Daniel - I Dare You MESSAGE: I Dare You: Decide! SPEAKER: Skip Heitzig SCRIPTURE: Daniel 7:8-28 MESSAGE SUMMARY The world as we know it won't last forever. Time will not march on without interruption. Daniel saw a vision of four future kingdoms which can be documented historically. But one final worldwide antagonistic thrust against God is coming. It will be waged by a ruler typically referred to as the Antichrist (but actually there are many more names for him). A fourfold description of this coming dictator's reign is highlighted before us. Even more basic is the choice we must all make about which kingdom we will be part of. DETAILED NOTES I. Introduction A. People were convinced that Hitler was for peace; in 1930, these words were spoken by him: 1. "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" 2. "I believe that today, my conduct is in accordance with the will of the almighty Creator" 3. "Mankind has grown strong in eternal struggles and will only perish through eternal peace" 4. "For the first time...our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead" 5. Lloyd George called Hitler "the greatest living German" 6. Anglican church said he was moral and ethical 7. There was only one man in England who was not deceived Winston Churchill saw through it all B. Daniel peers into the future and sees a coming leader that will make Adolph Hitler look docile 1. This ruler is known as the Antichrist 2. People don't take the Antichrist seriously 3. He's put in the same category as the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus II. The coming of God's King and His everlasting kingdom A. Daniel 7 is a very compressed prophetic panorama of what happens from the time of Daniel until Jesus returns; chapters 8-12 take portions of this picture and expands them 1. Daniel sees four beasts that come out of the earth four kingdoms 2. The main theme of chapter 7 is the kingdom of God through His Son B. We don't know who the Antichrist is Page 1

2 1. Many have been called the Antichrist over the years (e.g. Caesar Nero, Emperor Caligula, Charlemagne, Napoleon, Hitler, Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Henry Kissinger, Sun Myung Moon, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Barack Obama) 2. Four words describe him: He is a ruler, speaker, oppressor, and loser C. He will be a powerful ruler 1. He's described as a little horn that comes up 2. A horn signifies a strong ruler 3. In Psalm 75, the Lord says, "All the horns of the wicked I will cut off, but the horns of the righteous will be exalted" 4. This little horn has plans for world domination 5. The Antichrist a. In chapter 7, he's called the little horn b. In chapter 8, he's called the king of fierce countenance c. In chapter 9, he's called the prince that shall come d. In chapter 11, he's called the willful king e. Most infamously known as the Antichrist f. He has over 25 other titles i. In Revelation 13: the beast ii. Jesus called him the abomination that causes desolation (see Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14) iii. Paul called him the lawless one, the man of sin, the son of perdition (see 2 Thessalonians 2) g. Daniel was the first to speak of him explicitly and comprehensively h. The earliest Christians in the New Testament church had heard about the antichrist i. John said, "Little children, you have heard that Antichrist is coming" (1 John 2:18) ii. Someone had been teaching them about him iii. All they knew about him was based on what Daniel wrote, especially chapter 7 i. A couple of things about him i. His appearance seemed stronger ii. He has eyes; signifies insight and intelligence; he will be clever, shrewd, with a remarkable ability to deceive iii. Enamoring, overwhelmingly attractive to people iv. "They wondered after the beast and said, 'Who is like the beast?'" (see Revelation 13:4) v. Perhaps Jesus was referring to him when he said "I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive" (John 5:43) j. He will be attached to the ancient Roman empire i. Ten fragments will reemerge Page 2

3 ii. History tells that the Roman empire was attacked by many different hordes/empires iii. AD 476 Rome fell; but that's not the whole Roman empire iv. In AD 395 it was split into two and the Eastern Roman empire lasted for another thousand years k. We don't know what its final form will be i. Some have suggested it is the European economic community ii. In a couple of weeks, Skip will tell of a system that is growing very rapidly and fits this picture iii. Some will scoff at this given our modern times D. He will be a prideful speaker 1. This little horn will have a big mouth a. Powerful orator b. "He was given a mouth, speaking great things" (Revelation 13:5) c. He will speak so effectively that he'll be able to bring peace in the Middle East 2. He is described as a rider on a white horse (see Revelation 6) a. The first of the four horsemen of the apocalypse b. That is not Jesus; Jesus is the rider on the white horse in Revelation 19 c. The rider in chapter 6 brings death and bloody carnage d. He rides a white horse as part of his deception; white hat versus black hat e. He's a wolf in sheep's clothing 3. Confident words a. A Texan visiting Niagara Falls b. Antichrist will try to fix all the bad stuff in the world c. "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 Carl 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" -- Ronnie Floyd d. He's a charming, disarming, clever, problem solver 4. He's going to be dangerous because at some point his charming speech will turn blasphemous (see v. 25) a. At some point in his short career, he will turn on people and reveal who he really is b. In Revelation 13:6, he blasphemes God and those who dwell in heaven c. That will probably happen in the middle of the tribulation period i. The tribulation, according to Daniel and Revelation, will last seven years ii. The tribulation is divided in the middle by an event called the abomination of desolation Page 3

4 iii. That's when the little horn announces to the world that he is god and should be worshiped iv. Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 2:4, "He exalts himself above all that is God" v. It was Satan who said, "I will be like the Most High" (see Isaiah 14:14) E. He will be a painful oppressor 1. He uses his strength to war against the saints 2. Once he succeeds in dominating the world, the holocaust begins 3. The last half of the tribulation will be hell on earth 4. The word for persecute speaks of the wearing down of the saints, like the wearing out of a garment a. He will continually harass them and wear them down b. Physical harassment c. Legal injustice d. Seizure of property e. Physical punishment f. Failure to comply laws everyone to take a mark or be killed (see Revelation 13) 5. The beast will wage war against God's people and overcome them (see Revelation 13) a. What exactly will he do that will be so painful to God's people? i. He will kill two thirds of all Jews (see Zechariah 13) ii. He's going to conquer the city of Jerusalem (see Zechariah 14) iii. He will go on a rampage to kill believers around the world (see Revelation 13) b. He will be a very religious man i. He will have a false prophet with him ii. The Antichrist will be the head over Mystery Babylon, a religious movement (see Revelation 17:5) c. Jesus predicted, "Then they will deliver you up...and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake" (Matthew 24:9) That promise was partly fulfilled in the early church d. It will happen even more in this new Roman empire e. The good news is that the Antichrist will not last very long i. Time, times and half a time three and a half years ii. 42 months, 1260 days to be exact iii. He will make a seven-year deal of peace iv. He will break the deal in the middle of the seven-year period v. He will go on a rampage of death and destruction vi. Jesus said unless those times were shortened... (see Matthew 24:22) vii. Those days will be mercifully shortened F. He will be the ultimate loser Page 4

5 1. Mr. Bigmouth's mouth will be shut for good 2. God with a white robe and white hair sits on the throne a. Same description as Jesus in Revelation 1 b. Jesus said that His Father had committed all judgment to Him, the Son (see John 5:22) c. Thrones, plural 3. When the earthly kingdoms run their course, Christ's kingdom follows a. The first is the millennial a thousand years of a remade earth b. Eternal kingdom new earth, new heaven the eternal state forever and ever c. That will be the time to sing "Joy to the World, the Lord has come, let earth receive her king" written by Isaac Watts in Porky Pig that's all folks! That's it! Man is done, God is in charge a. The world had a beginning and it will have an end b. Every kingdom that rises, falls c. Jesus said, "He who believes in Me will...never die" (see John 11:25) 5. If today was the end of the world, how do you think the media would report that? a. "We're Dead" --USA Today b. "Dow Jones Plummets as World Ends" --Wall Street Journal c. "Apple Loses Market Share" --Microsoft Systems Journal d. "Game Over" --Sports Illustrated e. "The Grateful Dead Reunion Tour" --Rolling Stone Magazine f. "How Will the Extinction of All Life as We Know It Affect the Way in Which We View the Cosmos?" --Discover Magazine g. "Death and Damnation: Nielson Ratings Soar" --TV Guide h. "Lose Ten Pounds by Judgment Day with Our New Armageddon Diet" --Ladies Home Journal i. "System Temporarily Unavailable, Call Back in 15 Minutes" -- America Online III. Closing the court was seated, the books were opened A. Same as in Revelation The books were opened 2. God keeps books on everybody 3. He's looking for a giant canceled stamp across your page, canceled by the blood of Jesus Christ 4. Skip hopes that canceled stamp is on your page 5. There's enough evidence to condemn all who are without Jesus B. Dare to decide 1. Somewhere in that tribulation period the world will have to decide decide whose side they're on 2. We can and we should decide now 3. Jesus said, "If you are not for me, you're against me" (Matthew 12:30) Page 5

6 4. Jesus came to save His enemies He came to forgive every one of us; so before the court is seated, He can step up and say, "That one is mine! That debt has been canceled!" Figures referenced: Lloyd George, Winston Churchill, Caesar Nero, Emperor Caligula, Charlemagne, Napoleon, Hitler, Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Henry Kissinger, Sun Myung Moon, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Barack Obama Cross references: Psalm 75, Isaiah 14:14, Daniel 8, 9, 11, Zechariah 13, Zechariah 14, Matthew 12:30, Matthew 24:9, 15, 22, Mark 13:14, John 5:22, 43, John 11:25, 2 Thessalonians 2:4, 1 John 2:18, Revelation 1, 6, 13, Revelation 17:5, Revelation 19 and 20 Topic: Antichrist Keywords: Jesus Christ, judgment, throne, deception, decide, Daniel, vision, tribulation, end times, kingdom Page 6