We know that in the last hour many antichrists will come. The word of God tells us how to recognize them.

1Jn 2:18  Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, (they had been teaching of them)  even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour.

The disciples have been warning of a single antichrist but one specific antichrist will come.

ANTICHRIST: anti = that which is against or opposed to or instead of, in the place of + Christos = Anointed. So the antichrists are opposed to the Anointed One of God and in fact substitute themselves for Christ.

1Jn 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us. (so you would expect to find these antichrists among Christian groups) 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. (we can recognize that which is not of Christ). 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth.

Kay discusses the tapes by CRI's Hank Hannegraff in which he plays the recordings of well-known televangelist false teachers...one saying "We are gods!". Many Americans are giving money because they see signs and wonders, not remembering that the enemy has that power also. But we have the plumb line of God's Word. So in summary when these false teachers make blatant false assertions that are lies you can know for certain that THEY ARE NOT FROM THE TRUTH!

1Jn 2:22 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 As for you,(in the light of all he has said) let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. (in the beginning John said they received the truth and he was exhorting them to hold the truth bc some were not) If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life. (and this life is only for those who abide) 26 These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. 27 And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.

John is not saying you don't need teachers but John is saying that they each had the Holy Spirit within to assess truth. In those days not everyone had a Bible so people were taught by those like John and he is telling them to abide in that truth. Contrast with what John had said in 2:19 that there were some who would go out from among the believers because they were never true believers. If they had been real, they would not have walked away. The reason they departed was so that you could see that they were false--''in order that'' is a purpose clause in 2:19.

IN JUDE SOME WERE TURNING GRACE INTO LICENTIOUSNESS

Jude 1:3 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. (what God laid down from the beginning is true and does not change) 4 For certain persons have crept in (into the body of believers) unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, (they never belonged to God and He knew they never belonged to Him) ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness (They were teaching ''moral anarchy'' saying you could live any way you wanted to and still go to heaven bc the grace of God covers all you sin...so go ahead and sin and you'll still make it to heaven...this is FALSE TEACHING.) and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (so here are those who are denying the right of Christ to totally and absolutely rule over our life.)

 JESUS SPEAKING ABOUT THE SHEEP
 WHO KNOW THEIR SHEPHERD'S VOICE

In John 10 Jesus is speaking to the religious Jewish leaders. Jesus had just healed a man born blind. These Jewish leaders are threatening to kick this healed blind man and his family out of synagogue bc he is giving Christ the glory for healing his blindness. So Jesus tells these Jewish leaders that they are spiritually blind and that there is only one way to get into the sheep fold and it was Him. He was the door.

John 10:4 "When he puts forth all his own, (his own sheep) he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. (they have that ANOINTING and so know his voice. The reason you came to Christ is because God gave you an anointing to even know that He alone was the way, the truth and the life) 5 "And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers." (So this is the ''anointing'' that you have so that you know all things. So Jesus is saying He doesn't want anyone to deceive them.)

1Jn 2:27  And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide (present tense-continue to abide) in Him. 28 And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.

So John wants them to know it is the LAST HOUR (because many antichrists have come) but there is one (singular) antichrist coming. John is only one that uses the term ''antichrist''.

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, do not believe every spirit, (whether you are listening to teachers or watching t.v.) but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (all the prophecies by so-called prophets are not from God...example of woman saying to speak the ''word of faith'' to your billfold...'''Be fat' billfold'' claiming we have power in our spoken word. But this is a lie and a deception and is not Biblical. Yes sometimes it ''works'' so they think it must be God but John says there are many false prophets). 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; (Jesus means ''God our Savior'' and Christ means ''Anointed One'' so any spirit that says that Jesus is not God is not from God.) 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist, (Kay alludes to a Jewish television teacher who says Jesus is not God so you know that he has a spirit that is not form God...he is antichrist, opposed to and against Christ...if you are in a denomination that says Jesus is not God then you know that it is antichrist, not of God) of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. 4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; (why?) because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. (this is the ANOINTING that you have) 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. (So there are many that wear the label ''Christian" but are not).6 We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. (equates with the spirit of antichrist)

ANTICHRIST: an opposer of Christ, one who usurps the place of Christ or is instead of Christ.

2 John 1:1  The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth,...7  For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

So these ANTICHRISTS will be ''off'' in one of two ways: (1) Deny the Deity of Christ, that Christ is God and (2) Deny the humanity of Christ like Christian Scientists.

FALSE CHRISTS (pseudo Christos) in matthew 24

Mt 24:4  And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you....11"And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many....23 "Then (after the abomination of desolation stands in the holy place and the great tribulation occurs) if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is,' do not believe him. 4 "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. 25 "Behold, I have told you in advance. (so that you will be aware).

So antichrist opposes the true Christ and a false Christ claims to be the true Christ.  Both of these characteristics are embodied in one man...

 The man of Lawlessness

2The 2:3  Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (Day of the Lord) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes (the idea of anti- or opposed to Christ even though it's not the Greek word ''anti'' here) and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. (So this man goes into the Holy of Holies where the Ark of Covenant had been kept and he says "I am God''. So he is the embodiment of all we have seen before...opposed to and against Christ and instead of Christ.)...8  And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness (wickedness is deceiving!) for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth (Jesus is the way, the TRUTH, the life) so as to be saved.

WHO DO YOU SAY THE ''SON OF MAN'' IS?

Mt 16:13  Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He began asking His disciples, saying, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" 

SON OF MAN IN DANIEL 7

Dan 7:13 "I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. 14 "And to Him (one like the Son of Man) was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations, and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.

This is what the Jews were looking for...the Son of Man Who is coming with clouds of heaven so this is why Jesus asked His disciples WHO PEOPLE SAID WAS THE ''SON OF MAN''

Mt 16:14 And they said, "Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; (some today will still say Elijah is the Son of Man!) but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets." 15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  (Your answer to this question determines your eternal destiny!) 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar jona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. (Peter had the ''anointing'' referred to in 1 John that was from God and which showed him that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. And you have an anointing according to 1 John 2:20 also). 18 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, (petros)  and upon this rock (petra) I will build My church; (Jesus is that ''Rock'', the Christ, the Son of the living God, the Cornerstone that men will either stumble over or will build upon) and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.

THE CROWN WORN
BY THE CHRIST & THE ANTICHRIST
A DIADEM NOT A STEPHANOS

We have now seen antichrists, the false christs, and the True Christ. And the antichrist also wears a DIADEM just as does the TRUE CHRIST. In KJV it uses "crown'' in all the verses we will discuss but there are 2 Greek words for CROWN:

(1) STEPHANOS: not used of the crown of a king but is used of a victor's crown, and can be a civil or military or even nuptial crown but not for a king's crown.

(2). DIADEM: from dia = around + deo = to bind, so this means ''to bind around'' and describes a filament of silk bound around the head as a symbol of royalty.

Rev 12:3  And another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. (The dragon is Satan from Rev 12:9.)

THE DIADEM OF THE ANTICHRIST

Rev 13:1  And he stood on the sand of the seashore. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. 2  And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. (So the DIADEM & the AUTHORITY came from SATAN) 5  And there was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies; and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. ...7 And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. 8 And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. ( So antichrist rules over all the world wearing the crown given to him by Satan and being worshipped by all except for those whose name is written in the book of life...they do not bow the knee)

THE DIADEM OF THE KING OF KINGS

Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 And His eyes are a flame of fire, and upon His head are many diadems; and He has a name written upon Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 And He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God....15 And from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may smite the nations; (being ruled by the beast who also has a DIADEM...so we have a CROWN CONFLICT  and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.) So the antichrist takes the place of the true Christ and claims to be God and the world ''buys it''.

 THE BATTLE THROUGH THE AGES

(1) WORSHIPPERS

(a). For individuals: Gen 3 the serpent said ''Yea hath God said...God knows that the day you eat of the fruit of this tree you shall be like God'' so in a sense we see the ANTICHRIST here, because it is opposed to Christ. So all through the ages the LIE has been to tell you that there is not ONE SUPREME BEING, one Lord and Master but you can be your own god (some even say it today...and when they do this they are speaking as antichrist). In Eph 2:2 we see where we used to be: ''you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 ...by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.''

(b). Religious Leaders: He even penetrated the ranks of Judaism as Jesus spoke to the religious leaders

John 8:44  "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.

(c). Rulers of Nations:  in Ezekiel 28, Isaiah 14, Daniel 10

EzekIEL 28:1  The word of the Lord came again to me saying, 2 "Son of man, say to the leader of Tyre, 'Thus says the Lord God, "Because your heart is lifted up And you have said, 'I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods, (Why did early Christians die? Because they had to say ''Caesar is lord'' and they could not say it bc Jesus is Lord) In the heart of the seas ';Yet you are a man and not God, Although you make your heart like the heart of God-- (all through the first 10 verses he is speaking to an earthly ruler) 11 Again the word of the Lord came to me saying, 12 "Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord God, "You had the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 "You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: the ruby, the topaz, and the diamond; the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper; the lapis lazuli, the turquoise, and the emerald; and the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, was in you. On the day that you were created they were prepared. 14 "You were the anointed cherub who covers, And I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 "You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, until unrighteousness was found in you. 16 "By the abundance of your trade you were internally filled with violence, and you sinned; therefore I have cast you as profane from the mountain of God. And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub,

SO HERE HE IS SPEAKING TO AN ANGELIC BEING...WHY? because Satan desired to rule over the nations and so he gave this earthly ruler of Tyre his power even as in Rev 13:2 the Dragon gives his power to the Beast. So we see back in Ezekiel the FALL of Satan who is behind all of the antichrists)

PROPHECY IN ISAIAH 14 TO THE KING OF BABYLON
DESCRIBES SATAN (''I WILL…'')

Isaiah 14:4 that you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon, and say...12 "How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, (shining one) son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened the nations! 13 "But you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. 14 'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' (speaking of Satan)

This reminds us of antichrist . So we see here a picture of Satan being cast to the earth and he WEAKENS the nations, in Isaiah 14, he weakens Babylon and in Ezekiel he weakens Tyre. So we see the battle has been down through the ages.

Psalm 2:1  Why are the nations in an uproar, And the peoples devising a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth take their stand, And the rulers take counsel together Against the Lord and against His Anointed: 3 "Let us tear their fetters apart, and cast away their cords from us!"

(2). THE BATTLE HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY TO DESTROY ONE NATION: ISRAEL

From Israel would come a MALE CHILD, the True Christ, Who is to rule all the nations of the earth. Do you see the conflict in Rev 12 where the woman who is going to bring forth a Male Child is opposed by the Dragon who seeks to devour her?

We need to remember this conflict that has gone on through the ages. But that contest is still going on in individual hearts to see WHO WILL WE WORSHIP? Who will we submit to? Who will be King in your life? If you are truly a Christian, Christ will always be King...yes, you may fail to let Him be Lord at times but it is only for ''times''. You will come to Him because you have heard His voice. You will not go out from among them because you have an anointing and you know Truth. There are many who do not know the Truth.

 The spiritual conflict  in Daniel 10

Daniel is seeking to understand a message he has received from God...

Dan 10:12 Then he (the angelic messenger) said to me, "Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. (Daniel wanted to know truth so God sent the angel to explain it to him) 13 "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, (who watches over Israel) one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.

So there are earthly kings of Persia but there are angelic beings in the heavens that belong to Satan and there is a conflict is going on in the heavenlies that is trying to keep God's people from knowing and understanding the Truth...as you study Revelation that same CONFLICT is going on in your life. You need to determine that "I am going to know this book no matter what. I am going to pay the price to know the Word of God."

Dan 10:14 "Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future."

As you do your homework this week you are going to receive understanding of the latter days because from Daniel 10è12 God shows Daniel the antichrist spirit in Antiochus Epiphanes who sets up an abomination of desolation and who persecutes those who worship God and who turns many of the Jews away from God. And then the Scripture goes beyond to the one and final ANTICHRIST, who we are studying about.

We need to warn people because it is the LAST HOUR little children and there is a heavenly conflict going on today just as there was in Daniel 10 and it is to keep you form knowing the Truth. Why? Because Daniel 11:32b says that the people who know their God will be strong and do exploits in the context of Antiochus Epiphanes, the forerunner of the final antichrist.

"Those who have insight

will shine brightly

like the brightness of the expanse of heaven,

and

those who lead the many to righteousness,

like the stars

forever and ever.''

Daniel 12:3