Revelation Answers

Satan and the Rulers of this Age exalt themselves and usurp Divine prerogatives in contrast to the true Servant of God, Jesus Christ . Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled the role of the ‘ Suffering Servant ’ described in the Book of Isaiah . He did not attempt to seize the “ likeness of God ” as Adam did or exploit his position as God’s Messiah to exercise power over others. His sovereignty is radically different than the governments of this fallen world. Rather than subjugate his subjects or kill his enemies, Christ endured a shameful death on the Imperial Cross for friend and foe alike in obedience to his Father; therefore, God exalted him above all things.

Jesus triumphed over Satan and Sin through his Death and Resurrection, therefore, he now reigns from the Messianic Throne . Jesus triumphed over his enemies on the Cross and began his reign as the promised Messianic King following his Death and Resurrection. He is not waiting for some future event before he receives his sovereignty over the nations. Unlike the political powers of this age, he conquered through his sacrificial death rather than tyranny, lies, political manipulation, or violence.  It is the Crucified One who now reigns on Mount Zion!

The saints will be assembled before Jesus on the Last Day, and the wicked will be collected for judgment and cast from his presence . On the Last Day, the righteous and the unrighteous will be “ gathered ” before Jesus, the former for vindication and salvation, and the latter for judgment and condemnation. This event is linked in the New Testament to Christ’s “ arrival ” at the end of the age when he will resurrect the dead, judge the dead and living, terminate the “ Last Enemy, Death ,” and consummate the Kingdom of God.

The Antichrist Spirit works to destroy the church from within, especially through deception spread by false teachers and other deceivers – 1 John 2:18-22. In popular preaching, the  Antichrist  is a political tyrant bent on world domination. However, Jesus and his Apostles expressed more concerns about the  deceivers  who would spread false teachings in the Church than about political powers. The New Testament applies ‘ Antichrist ’ and related terms to false teachers infiltrating the Body of Christ and distorting the Apostolic Teachings.