Maybe one of the most overwhelming images that people often get from Revelation is the idea of “The Antichrist!”  Question:  how many times does Revelation mention the word Antichrist?  Answer:  none!  Though an evil character who calls the world to worship Him instead of God, a character that is against Christ is mentioned.  This is probably surprising to many.  The central figure of Revelation is not the Antichrist; it is the Christ, Jesus.

In the last 80 years or so, many world leaders have been claimed to be the Antichrist including Franklin Delano Roosevelt (because he began Social Security numbers, and Revelation talks about people getting a number to buy and sell).  Of course, many thought Mussolini, the fascist dictator of Italy at the beginning of WWII, was him.  Others pointed at Hitler, some at John F Kennedy because he was Catholic, others to every Pope, some Kissinger, a few Nixon, some even Ronald Wilson Reagan (because each of his names had 6 letters, 666).  Martin Luther claimed the Pope was the Antichrist, the Pope said Martin Luther was the bad guy.  In recent years, claims have been made that Sadaam Hussein, Osama Ben Laden, Putin, Ahmadinejad and even Obama are the Antichrist.  One pastor recently claimed that Oprah Winfrey was surely the Antichrist (seriously).  Even if someone figures out who this mysterious figure is or isn’t, it doesn’t change a thing.  The Task of the Christian is still to follow Jesus Christ.

The story of Revelation is the story of the relationship between Jesus Christ and His Church, a story of redemption, of faithfulness and faith, of God’s love for His people, of a time that will come when sin, death and evil will die, and God, good and life finally wins.  We see it in the beautiful picture of a new heaven and a new earth as portrayed at the end of the book:

“God will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death;  there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away . . . He who overcomes will inherit these things and I will be their God and they will be my children!” Revelation 21:3 b4, 7

Our task is never to be obsessed with the Antichrist, but instead obsessed with Jesus.

I hope you will join us at one of our worship services as we take a look at Revelation, the last book of the Bible.