Bible Studies

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While many Biblical characters, including our Lord Jesus Christ, spoke of false teachers and false information coming on the scene, only one of them used the term Antichrist/antichrist(s).

This was John, who penned the Gospel of John, three epistles, 1John/2John/3John, the Book of Revelation, and the seven letters of Revelation Chapters 2 and 3 that were sent to the ancient local assemblies in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

As in the case of any source that speaks of the coming end time events, the Book of (John’s) Revelation is seen as both ominous foreboding and encouraging inspiration.

There has been, and remains to be, more than one interpretation and application of the events and symbolism spoken of in John’s Revelation within the Christian Community at large.


Some believers choose not to study and some pastor-teachers avoid teaching on the Book of Revelation in fear of unwittingly getting it wrong, and in doing so, incur the Rev. 22: 18, 19 consequences.

“ I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book (Rev. 22: 18, 19 NASB2020).”

Getting this (or any other portion of Scripture) , is a pastor- teacher’s worst nightmare.

I believe that this Rev. 22: 18-19 warning applies to anyone who reads, understands, and then deliberately rejects it, or deliberately distorts it by adding to it, or taking from it (1). I say this because “hears” is an English translation of the Greek word a-k-o-u-o that can be defined as hearing with comprehension. The Apostles did not always believe or understand things the first time they heard them (2).

Godly pastor-teachers take “getting it right’ and “ teaching it right’ very seriously. They have a high calling that carries with it a high level of responsibility and accountability (3).

Some pastors are reluctant to promote an atmosphere of doom and gloom within their congregations, over-looking the silver lining of glory behind the dark clouds. The same Bible that speaks of a coming period of time that is so horrific, that if it were not cut short by the Second Advent, no human life on planet Earth would survive (4), also speaks of the coming of a new world and heaven in which all negativity will be gone for good.

Heaven bound believers need to hear and to be reminded of the silver lining, that speaks of the coming Millennial reign and the forthcoming new heaven and Earth (5), as well.

. . .

There will be only one Antichrist whose rise and activities will come to its pinnacle, AFTER what theologians refer to as The Rapture (6) takes place, and BEFORE the Second Advent (7), when Christ RETURNS with His Church.

In order for Him and His Church to RETURN, common sense tells us that He and His church must have previously departed (8).

Edified believers do not personally fear the events that will take place between the Rapture and the Second Advent because the Church is not going to be on the Earth at that time. They do have consternation over what is in store for unsaved family and friends who would be left behind if the Rapture were to take place today, or during their lifetime here on Earth.

Before the Antichrist (singular) of the Tribulation period comes on the scene, there is what 1John 2: 18 refers to as the presence of many antichrists (plural) that are presently here among us.

“Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared…(1John 2: 18 NASB2020).”

They have been present since the very beginning of the Church Age that was established in 33-34 AD, and will be among us, both inside and outside of what is commonly referred to as the Christian Community at large.

We will view the details of these antichrists in Part Two.

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(1) Prov. 30: 6 (2) Matt. 16: 21, 22 (3) 2Tim. 2: 15/James 3: 1 (4) Matt. 24: 22) (5) Rev. 19 – Rev 21 (6) 1Thess. 4: 16, 17 (7) Rev. 19: 11-16 Rev. 21: 1-4 (8) Acts 1: 9/ 1Thess. 4: 16, 17

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