Text: Matt. 24:21-22
Introduction:
    A.  In the Bible we read of a period of great distress, suffering and warfare, which is to come upon this troubled world.
    B.  This seven-year period of time is called:
         1.  The “tribulation” (Matt. 24:21-22, 29-30; Rev. 7:14).
         2.  The “time of Jacob's trouble” Jeremiah 30:7; Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of
              Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. (Dan. 12:1).
         3.  The “day of the Lord” (Isa. 13:9; Joel 2:1; Amos 5:18, 20; Zeph. 1:14-18; 2 Thess. 2:2; Rev. 6:12-17).
         4.  The “day of vengeance” of our God Isaiah 61:2  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of
              vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
         5.  Daniel's “seventieth week” (Dan. 9:24-27).
    C.  This will be the darkest period of the world's history --- the Nazi treatment of the Jews will fade into insignificance in
          comparison with the great tribulation period.  Matt. 24:21, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since
          the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be."
I. The tribulation will be ushered in by the appearance of a very powerful and sinister figure that the Scriptures call the Anti-Christ.
    A.  He will seem to be the greatest military leader, statesman and religious leader the world has ever seen (Dan. 11:36-39).
    B.  This man may be alive on the earth today.
    C.  He is also called:
         1.  The Man of Sin (2 Thess. 2:3).
         2.  The Son of Perdition (2 Thess. 2:3).
         3.  The Wicked (or Lawless) One (2 Thess. 2:8).
         4.  A Vile Person (Dan. 11:21).
    D.  He will be energized by Satan and will be the Devil's counterfeit of Christ.  Rev. 13:4, "And they worshipped the
          dragon (devil) which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast?
          Who is able to make war with him?"
    E.  The co-worker of the Antichrist will be the false prophet. Rev. 13:11-18,
II. Notice 7 striking contrasts between Christ and the Anti-Christ.
    A.  Christ humbled Himself (Phil. 2:8)
         1.  Antichrist exalts himself (2 Thess. 2:4).
    B.  Christ came to seek and save (Luke 19:10)
         1.  Antichrist comes to domineer and destroy (Dan. 11:39)
    C.  Christ came to do His Father's will.  John 4:34, "Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me,
          and to finish his work."
         1.  Antichrist comes to do his own will.  Daniel 11:36, "And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt
              himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall
              prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done."
    D.  Christ is God’s Lamb and the Lion of the tribe of Juda (Rev. 5:5-6)
         1.  Antichrist is like a lamb and speaks like a dragon.  Revelation 13:11, "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."
    E.  Christ has a Bride (Rev. 21:9)
         1.  Antichrist has a bride (Rev 17).
    F.  Christ was (and is) God (John 1:1)
         1.  Antichrist claims to be God (2 Thess. 2:4).
    G.  Christ exalts God (John 14:28)
         1. Antichrist blasphemes God (Rev. 13:6).
III. At the beginning of the tribulation period the Antichrist will make a covenant with the Jews, which he will break by setting up the abomination of desolation in the temple and by demanding universal worship.  Daniel 9:27, "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."  (also see Matt. 24:15)
    A.  At first, the true character of Antichrist will not be generally recognized.
         1.  As the Antichrist assumes supreme authority, he becomes the victim of an assassin.
              a.  He receives a deadly “wound by a sword,” (Rev.13:14), yet he recovers from the fatal wound (Rev 13:3). “And I
                   saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered
                   after the beast.
    B.  The deadly wound is beyond the help and skill of even the advanced medical science of the day.
         1.  It is healed by the super-human power of Satan
    C.  In this miraculous healing, he is imitating the resurrection of God’s Son.
         1.  At this time Satan enters the Antichrist as he entered Judas Iscariot (John 13:27).  THIS CAUSED EARTH’S
              INHABITANTS TO MARVEL AND TO WORSHIP HIM AS GOD. Rev 13:4 “And they worshipped the
              dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is
              able to make war with him?”
    D.  This is exactly what Satan has wanted throughout his career, (Isa. 14:12-14).
    E.  At this time he breaks the covenant, which he has made with the Jews, and then he will be recognized as the evil and
         sinister being that he is (Rev. 12:12). Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto
         you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
IV. Some of the horrendous things that will happen during the tribulation as God and Satan do Battle on earth.
    A.  Waters will become so bitter that many men will die (Rev. 8:10-11).
    B.  Locust out of the bottomless pit that torment men for 5 months (Rev. 9:1-12).
    C.  A Third part of men killed by horsemen (Rev. 9:13-18 ).
    D.  The vial judgments (Rev. 16:2-11).
V. The tribulation will culminate in the battle of Armageddon, which will be fought in the vicinity of Jerusalem and will end with Christ being victorious.
    A.  Rev. 19:11-21; Zech. 14:1-5; Rev. 14:14-20; Isa. 63:1-Ezek. 39:12-15
    B.  This will be the most astonishing conflict in the history of the world
    C.  As God’s redeemed we have a blessed hope (Titus 2:13). Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of
          the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 1 Thess. 4:13-18 (read) --- Are You Prepared To Meet God?