Antichrist – Michael (Mike) Copple

What is the Meaning of the Seven Seals?

Beginning in Revelation 5:1 the seven seals are keeping a scroll closed.

And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. (Revelation 5:1)

The only one worthy to open the seals is the Savior.

And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood… (Revelation 5:9a)

The scroll, when opened, will release the Antichrist to commence his deceptions and violence and the beginnings of God’s wrath upon all unbelieving mankind and upon the earth—as each seal is opened. When the Lord Jesus opens each seal, the scroll issues warnings of the seven-year Tribulation period—warnings that become progressively more and more harmful and punishing to whosoever rejects the Lord Jesus Christ.

The warnings are justified much the same as the warnings that were heard by those who laughed at Noah nearly 5,000 years ago:

When does the Rapture occur in relation to the Seven-year Tribulation? (2)

Today we are continuing with part 2 of our topic about when the Rapture will occur.

Revelation 5 describes the raptured Church praising the Lord Jesus Christ for being worthy to open the seven seals of the scroll and for redeeming us to God by His blood.

The order of events has been

1) Revelation 2-3: The churches on earth;
2) Revelation 4: The Rapture of the Church; and
3) Revelation 5: The Church praising the Lord.

Revelation 6 then reveals the antichrist coming in to conquer, and eventually take peace, kill, cause famine, and death. The end result of the antichrist’s feats will bring God’s wrath in the Great Tribulation.

Is There a Difference Between The Tribulation and The Great Tribulation?

Posted by Elfriede

The Tribulation will happen after the rapture and be a seven-year period in which the Antichrist will rule.

Why do we say that?

The New Testament tells us that all Church Age believers will be raptured before the Tribulation begins.
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:1-4, 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-7; 2:1-8; Romans 11:25-26; Revelation 4:1).

In 1 Thessalonians 4 verses 16 to 18 we learn that the dead in Christ will rise first and then those who are alive and remain shall be caught up meaning raptured to be with the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
¹⁶For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Continuing with the theme in chapter 5 verses 2 to 4 we understand that immediately after the day of the Lord which comes as a thief in the night [the rapture] sudden destruction comes upon all the people that are left behind!

The Black Horse, the Pale Horse, the Riders and Their Power

Last week we wrote about the white and the red horses. Today we continue with the black and the pale horses.

What does the horses’ colour represent?
Who is the rider and what is his goal?

The White Horse, the Red Horse, the Riders and Their Power

The Book of Revelation mentions 4 different colored horses – white, red, black and pale.

Today we will be looking at the white and red horses, their riders and their power.

Who sits on the White Horse and with what kind of Power?

There are actually two white horses.

Who is the Beast, the Dragon, and the False Prophet? (Part 1)

Posted by Elfriede

Who is the Beast?

We already mentioned the beast in last week’s post when we discussed the question “Who is the Antichrist”. Is there more to the beast then mentioned last week?

I believe there is.

The word “beast/beasts” appears in the Bible over 300 times; the majority of which is mentioned in the Old Testament (KJV).

What Does Scripture Say about the Antichrist?

Posted by Elfriede

Most people think of the Book of Revelation when they hear the word “Antichrist” Interesting enough though, the word “Antichrist” is never mentioned in the Book of Revelation.

What does “Antichrist” mean?

The Strong’s Concordance describes it as “an opponent of, an imposter for the Messiah: – against Christ or instead of Christ”. (The new Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible Red-Letter Edition – Greek Dictionary of the New Testament pg 30 #500)

The word “Antichrist” is mentioned 4 times in the Scriptures:

REVELATION CHAPTER 13 VERSES 1 – 2

Excerpt from “DIGGING DEEP INTO THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST” (pgs. 116/117) a Study Guide by Michael Copple (posted by Elfriede Copple)

We are continuing our study in Revelation:

Chapter 13 Verses 1-2 (NKJV)

¹Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast [the Antichrist] rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. ²Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon [Satan] gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.

Commentary, Reference Verses and Commentary on those Reference Verses:

The first beast, the Antichrist, who, although not known yet, will already be among the church before the Rapture

1 John 4:3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
[In 1 John 4:3 the spirit of the Antichrist which is now already in the world is a solid fact. *There are many today who are willing to say good things about Jesus, but not to confess Him as God incarnate. They say that Christ is “divine,” but not that He is God.*]

REVELATION 13 – The Two Beasts from the Sea and the Land

Excerpt from “DIGGING DEEP INTO THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST” (pgs. 114/115) a Study Guide by Michael Copple

The First Beast is the Antichrist /
The Second Beast is the False Prophet

INTRODUCTION
Chapter 13 introduces us to how Satan (the dragon) blasphemously sets up his own false “trinity”. Satan acts as the Father, the Antichrist as the Son, and the False Prophet as the Spirit who attempts to bring glory to the Antichrist.
Satan appoints two great beasts (men): the first beast rising up out of the sea—the Antichrist and his empire—and the second beast out of the earth or land—the False Prophet—possibly a Jew. The land could be the literal earth, or, possibly, the land of Israel.
*These beasts symbolize men who will play prominent roles during the Tribulation Period. They combine the features of the four beasts of Daniel 7:3*-9

God’s Choices of Whom He will take Up and the Rapture Timing

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

The Rapture

Psalm 49:15b God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, for He shall receive me.

John 6:39-40 “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. [Last day refers to last day of Church Age.] And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

The Four Horsemen are Previews of the Coming Antichrist Events

In Revelation Chapter 6 each of the four horses with a rider represents the antichrist in a preview of chronological events which will take place over the Seven-year Tribulation Period.

In Revelation 6:2 the white horse previews the antichrist’s beginning phase:
– entering to conquer,
– imitating the Messiah
(Rev. 13:1-3, 13-14; 2 Thess. 2:4, 11; Matt. 24:24) and
– coming into power at the beginning of the Tribulation.

WHO IS THE COUNTERFEIT JESUS?

Posted by Elfriede Copple

Today our post is about a book with the title COUNTERFEIT JESUS by R.P. Amos who lives in Oregon City, Oregon. Randy Amos is an itinerant Bible teacher who has blessed us with his messages and books.

It is a book relevant to today’s times and an eye opener to who the Counterfeit is and how he got his foot in the door to deceive many.

In the introduction Randy states:

“In this book many authoritative statements are made. The authority for these statements does not come from some man-made council, some creed of a denominational headquarters, or a majority vote on certain issues. The authority for the many statements comes from no less a source than the Holy Scriptures (Bible) which is the Word of the living God.”

LET NO ONE DECEIVE YOU (Part 2)

The Rapture is a frequent topic in our home. The Antichrist, the Tribulation Period, false prophets and today’s false teachers are the center of many discussions. Last week we started part 1 of “LET NO ONE DECEIVE YOU,” today we will continue with part 2:

2 Thessalonians 2:5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?

We remember from Acts 17:1 that Paul visited Thessalonica and helped “turn the world upside down,” and then travelled on to Berea, Athens, and Corinth. He is writing this Letter from Corinth. So he had verbally taught them, but since then, besides all the contradictory teaching being given to them since he left, they’ve also been fiercely persecuted. Between the false teaching and the suffering they were enduring, they must have thought the Tribulation Period had already begun. In troubles we all forget too easily and need to be constantly reminded of the great truths of our God. It is vitally important to stay focused by staying in God’s Word and by praying without ceasing.

Who sits on the White Horse and with what kind of Power?

Who is the Beast?

The First Beast is the Antichrist / The Second Beast is the False Prophet

The Rapture

The First Beast is the Antichrist /
The Second Beast is the False Prophet