Jack Hibbs shares signs of the End Times, coming of the Antichrist
Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in California offered his view of End Times eschatology in a recent sermon, detailing a few of the signs to look for prior to the imminent coming of the Antichrist.
Hibbs shared in an April sermon titled “Signs of the Coming Antichrist" that there are prophecies about the Antichrist in both the Old and New Testaments, with the figure sometimes being called "the beast."
Hibbs cited Revelation 11:7, which mentions how two Jewish witnesses will share a testimony for three-and-a-half years until the beast kills them.
Regarding the differences between the beast and Satan, Hibbs told his congregation to "think of a glove and a hand going into a glove."
"The glove is the beast and the hand going into the glove is Satan himself. A man who will be absolutely satanically possessed by the actual personification of Satan. Satan will take on flesh in this man called the Antichrist,” Hibbs explained.
Hibbs also referenced Revelation 13:1-2, which mentions the “beast rising up out of the sea having seven heads and 10 horns.”
Whenever there is a mention of a “sea” in a "prophetic setting," according to Hibbs, it refers to “humanity,” while the “seven heads” refers to “seven authorities,” while “horn” means “king.”
Another sign of the Antichrist's eventual arrival is when there will be “seven dominant authorities out of the 10 kings,” seeing it as a sign that "the world is starting to fragment up."
"There's no longer any global superpower. That's over. Wake up. It's over,” Hibbs said. “The United States is not the world's superpower. We are now one among many. And the Bible says that there's going to be a division of 10 nations or 10 kings, horns that will rule over the Earth in the last days."
The worship of the “dragon” mentioned in the Revelation passage shows another sign of the coming of the Antichrist, in this case, a rise in satanic worship.
Hibbs also noted how Revelation speaks of a "little horn," the 11th horn. This is meant to represent the beast and how he will initially be "somebody insignificant."
"He is somehow associated with the power group, but he's not well known. Something's going to happen that is going to move him up in a very quick period of time. We're talking about a timeframe that could easily commence anytime now,” Hibbs warned.
Hibbs pointed to former President Barack Obama as an example of how a “little horn” can rapidly rise to global influence, pointing out how, in only a few years, Obama went from a community organizer to a senator to president of the United States.
“This world will catapult that person forward. In fact, the Bible tells us that out of the 10, the 11th horn will arise amongst them, and he will subdue the major spokespersons of them or the leaders. He'll put down three and take over completely,” Hibbs said.
Another sign of the Antichrist coming, Hibbs said, is that the world will be in a time when sin has reached its “fullest,” or there will be more sin in the world than ever before.
Hibbs referenced Daniel 8:23, "In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise."
“Imagine a beaker," Hibbs told his congregation. "Imagine God is looking at this beaker and sin is going up. And when it reaches a certain point, God says, ‘That's it.’"
“Evil is shouting at you as though it's a virtue. Evil is saying, ‘You're wrong; we're right. ... If you stand up and say, ‘Hey, that's wrong. You shouldn't castrate a little child like that!' [Evil responds:] 'You are evil for thinking that!' They'll blame you for being a weirdo. That's how sick things have gotten.”
Signs of the Antichrist coming soon have been happening for a while, Hibbs said, asserting that "right now, you're living it" and "you're seeing it in the newspaper."
“Think of a knot. Think of the world in a knot. And nobody can do anything about it. In fact, at a time like this, Jesus warned that the world would see all of its problems with no way out,” Hibbs said.
“And then, comes this man. Notice out of the 10 nation-confederacy of leaders that are soon to take up residence in the world, this world, someone's going to have a good idea. And they're going to solve a problem. And they're going to go up a little notch; just a little horn. But he's got a fierce countenance."
Hibbs explained that "fierce countenance" meant "he has a strong, mighty, rough look. It's arrogant, brazen. It's intimidating."
"When this man comes on the scene, he's going to untie the knots of the world's problems, and the world's going to love this guy. And he's going to go up," he added.
"That little horn is getting bigger."
According to a Pew Research Center report from last November, nearly 40% of Americans believe that they are living in the End Times.
In a previous episode of the "Prophecy Pros Podcast" co-hosts Jeff Kinley and Todd Hampson addressed myths and different views Christians have about the rapture, tribulation, the Antichrist and Armageddon in an episode titled, "Prophecy Myths Busted."
During that episode, which can be watched online or listened to on the Edifi Podcast Network, Kinley stressed that Christians won't know who the Antichrist will be because they will have already been raptured.
"Unless you've been left behind, you're not going to know who the Antichrist is. And so, you don't really want to know who the Antichrist is,” Kinley assured.
While the Bible mentions the Antichrist in over 100 passages, it does not tell believers to search for him or attempt to identify him. "But we are told to look for the blessed hope. ... We look for Christ, not the Antichrist," said Kinley, who co-wrote with Hampson The Illustrated Guide to Tough Questions About the End Times.
“People often equate evil leaders as trying to play the pin the tail on the donkey with them as the Antichrist," Hampson added. "He's going to come on the scene as a person of peace. The first seal judgment is mimicking Christ. He's on a white horse. He doesn't have any weapons. He's going to look like a nice guy.”
The Antichrist will come at a time when there will be many forms of deception unleashed on Earth, Hampson added, citing Matthew 24:24, which states: "For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect."
After the rapture, there will be a time when there are no believers on Earth. But then, Hampson said, “I think a bunch of people will realize, ‘Oh, that rapture thing was real. Those Christians weren't that crazy, after all.’ And they will come to Christ.
Nicole Alcindor is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: nicole.alcindor@christianpost.com.