I. The Last 20 Centuries

A. Many Have Claimed To Be Jesus

John Lennon- In 1966, Beatle John Lennon announced, “Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. . . . We’re more popular than Jesus now.” But few people know what was going on inside John Lennon’s mind at the time he made that statement.
In his book The Quarrymen, British journalist and Beatle biographer Hunter Davies describes a strange incident that took place about the same time Lennon made his “more popular than Jesus” statement. John Lennon and a longtime friend, Pete Shotton, had been sitting in an apartment taking drugs and listening to music. “Pete,” Lennon said, “I think I’m Jesus Christ.” “You what?” asked Shotton. He thought the Beatle was joking. “I’m Jesus Christ,” said Lennon, completely serious. “I’m back again. I’ve got to tell the world who I am.”
The next morning, Lennon had Shotton call an emergency meeting of the board of Apple Records, the recording company founded by the Beatles. The other three Beatles–Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr–showed up, along with various members of the Apple organization. They found Lennon sitting behind his desk. “I’ve something important to tell you all,” Lennon said. “I am Jesus Christ. I have come back again.” Everyone was stunned. No one said a word in reply. Finally, someone suggested that they go to lunch.
In the restaurant, the Beatles & Apple people were sitting together at a table & a man came into the restaurant & recognized them. He came over to Lennon and said, “How nice to meet you, Mr. Lennon. How are you?” “I’m Jesus Christ,” Lennon said. “Oh, really?” the man said. “Well, I really liked your last record.”

1. Many have claimed to be Jesus Christ for the last 20 centuries.
2. Christians are told to be discerning about those who claim to be Jesus.
3. 1 John 4:1, 3 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world…
this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

B. The World Prior To “The End”

1. In verses 4-14, Jesus has been describing the general course of world history up to the worldwide preaching of the gospel. Characteristics of the last 20 centuries.
2. V. 14 – once the gospel is preached thru out the entire world, the end will come.
3. The preaching of the gospel is the responsibility of every Christian.
4. The worldwide preaching of the gospel may be accomplished though the efforts of the church
5. During the Great Tribulation, the gospel will be preached worldwide
6. Revelation 14:6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people…

II. The Abomination Of Desolation

A. Daniel

1. Jesus referred to Daniel as a prophet

a. Daniel is under more literary attack than any other prophetic book
b. Daniel’s prophecies are so accurate that to disprove them would destroy much of Bible prophecy and the credibility of Jesus who quoted him.

2. Daniel was a prophet of God who was taken captive from Jerusalem along with most of the people of Judah
3. He arrived in Babylon as a youth, & received his revelations while in captivity

B. Prophecies Re. The Abomination Of Desolation

1. The disciples asked re. the future, & Jesus told them to read Daniel’s prophecies
V. 15 “…whoever reads, let him understand…”
2. The man that brings this abomination is mentioned three times by Daniel.
3. It speaks of a man that presents himself to the Jews to be worshipped as God.
4. Daniel 8. This prophecy was fulfilled in part by Antiochus Epiphanes, a Greek ruler. It will be further and more perfectly fulfilled by the Antichrist.
5. Daniel 9:20-27 Using the 360 day Hebrew calendar, this prophecy pinpoints Palm Sunday, and speaks of Jesus’ execution. It speaks of an indeterminate time between Jesus’ arrival & the last 7-year period of God’s dealing with the nation of Israel, which we have come to call The Great Tribulation, or the 70th week of Daniel. During that 70th week, Antichrist will cause the “abomination of desolation”, as he goes into the rebuilt Jewish temple and claims to be God.

a. The Temple in Jerusalem must somehow be rebuilt
b. The Antichrist will not reveal his true colors until the middle of the 70th week. This is an actual event that will happen in the future in the Temple.

c. That event will most surely initiate what Jesus called “the end of the age”.

6. Daniel 11:29-39
7. Revelation 13:5-8
8. Ray Stedman- He is called the ”Antichrist,” the “man of Lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:3), the “beast” (Revelation 13), the “false shepherd” (Zechariah 11), and various other titles. He is a political ruler and the human incarnation of Satan on Earth. He is the one who will gather up in himself all the humanistic philosophies of the earth, receive the worship of all the nations of the earth, and set himself in opposition to the worship of the one true God.

C. The Hope Of The Christian 2 Thessalonians 2

1. Jesus seems to make a veiled reference to the coming Antichrist
John 5:43 I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
2. Since Jesus’ day, the world has been looking for a Messiah to bring them peace and solve their problems.
3. The Bible predicts that one will come claiming to be able to serve humanity in that way, and that most of those on Earth at that time will receive him.
4. I do not believe that the church will be on Earth at this point, and that is strongly debated among many Christians.
5. But if we are on Earth, we can still not be deceived if we love the truth.
6. John 10:27, 28 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.