First study — verses 1-10
A FORESHADOWING OF THE ANTICHRIST
The Bible was written “for our learning,” (Romans 15:4). One of the subjects the Lord would have us instructed in is the iniquitous events of the last days.
Time and time again, from the very early days of this world, the Lord has set forth warnings about the ‘last days’. Thus we find Jacob on his deathbed, speaking to his sons of the “last days”.
“And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days,” Genesis 49:1.
Even further back, we are told by Jude that Enoch, in the dawn of time, spoke of the rebellion of men just before the Saviour’s return, Jude 14-15.
Here in this chapter of Ezekiel, we are given information on three features that will be prominent at the close of this age. This is but one of many such foreshadowings. The repeating of these details indicates that the Lord would have us to be well informed and warned, for the last days will be days of great deception and many, even the true people of God, will be deceived and will require God’s intervention to deliver them from the deceptions and entanglements of the devil.
Remember, the Saviour said: “Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot . . . Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed,” Luke 17:28-30.
Lot was deceived and deluded and carried away with the wickedness of Sodom and had to be forcibly removed by the angels the Lord sent to warn him. “And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city,” Genesis 19:16.
One of the most difficult tasks given to the servants of God to accomplish, is to successfully warn and convince straying Christians of their error and the harvest they will reap if they do not obey God!
In the first ten verses of this chapter, the Lord gives us a prophetic picture of a personage the Lord would have His people, destined to live in the last days, recognise and understand clearly.
HERE IS A PICTURE OF THE ANTICHRIST.
1. The likeness of the Antichrist is reflected, as in a mirror, in the ways, the personality and activities of the ‘prince of Tyrus.’ Let it be understood that the spirit of rebellion that is beginning to manifest itself across the world — murder, deceit, untrustworthiness, confusion and the breakdown of all things decent and right, and which is, I believe, the beginning of the “perilous times” Paul writes of in 2 Timothy 3:1 — is no new thing!
To quote Paul again, “The mystery of iniquity doth already work,” 2 Thessalonians 2:7. That phrase may quite properly be translated: “The mystery of lawlessness”. It is not merely a defiance of the civil laws of the nation, which, by and large, were born of the Law of God, but it is the very Law of God in its entirety that is being overthrown in these days!
Within our lifetime we have seen overturned such fundamental truths as, the worship of the only true God, Jehovah; the divine institution of marriage; the sanctity of the life of the unborn; the divinely created order of humanity — male and female; and the wholesale rejection of the order of moral behaviour laid down in Holy Scripture!
The devil
This defiance of God has been at work ever since the devil fell from his perfection and he then became the source of rebellion in perfect humanity, as is recorded for us in the account of his leading Adam and Eve into rebellion against God in Genesis chapter 3 and in the subsequent total depravity that befell all the offspring of Adam. In Adam, all “died” (1 Corinthians 15:22), having become subject to the judgment the Lord warned Adam and Eve would follow their sin.
“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die,” Genesis 2:17.
Death
Well, they did eat and consequently immediately died spiritually and were separated from the Lord. Ultimately they died physically as well, that process beginning in them the moment they sinned.
The message of the gospel is that Christ came to suffer the eternal penalty of the sin of His elect and bestow eternal life upon them by His sufferings on the cross of Calvary. The enjoyment of Christ’s deliverance is partaken of by simply believing in Him and His atoning work on the cross.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” John 3:16.
The chief evidence of the universal working of the “mystery of iniquity” is the total rejection of Christ and the message of salvation set forth in the Bible!
“We will not have this man to reign over us” is the age-long response of the unbeliever to the message of mercy and grace!
2. The rejection of what the Lord has decreed can only result in man declaring himself as ‘God’! So it was with the ‘prince of Tyrus’. “Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God,” Ezekiel 28:2.
When a person rejects anything that the Lord commands and says in order that they might follow their own views and ideas, they make themselves ‘God’, in that matter.
Hats
The woman who casts aside her head covering and decides there is no need for her to wear it, she becomes her ‘God’ in this matter, rejecting the command of the true God.
When a man decides that he need not observe the sanctity of the Lord’s Day but he can engage in pursuits of pleasure and recreation, he becomes his own ‘God’ in these things!
Is there not very clear evidence of like things happening today, even amongst professing Christians, — aye, even amongst Free Presbyterians!
Even ministers seem ready to make themselves the authority by which the terminology of the Bible may be altered and disparaged, in favour of that which will meet with the approval of the ungodly and please their notions of what God’s message to mankind is all about.
Yes, even ministers can, in such matters, make themselves their own ‘God’!
This is but the “mystery of iniquity” impacting upon the lives of foolish, undiscerning Christians!
3. That which featured most in the heart and life of the ‘prince of Tyrus’ was earthly wealth. Paul warned Timothy about avarice.
“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses,” 1 Timothy 6:10-12.
Laying hold on “eternal life” rather than the paltry, perishing coinage of this world, ought to be the chief aim of believers.
The Lord Jesus said: “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36.
How many live in complete dismissal and rejection of these words of the Saviour?
The place of wealth in the heart of the ‘prince of Tyrus’ is set forth by the One Who knows the heart of men.
“With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures: By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches,” Ezekiel 28:4-5.
Business
The word “traffick” is a reference to ‘merchandise, traffic, trade’. In Revelation chapter 18, we are told that the whole fabric of the Antichrist’s domain rested upon the activities of the “merchants”.
“And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies,” Revelation 18:1-3.
This is a reference to the final manifestation of the “mystery of iniquity”, mankind’s rebellion against the Lord, led by the future Antichrist.
Babylon
It will be centred in that ancient, rebuilt city of rebellion, Babylon. It will be the haven of all that is evil. It will “become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” It has led the rulers of the nations and their merchants within the dominion of Antichrist, into a corrupt and corrupting relationship. “The kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.”
Weeping Merchants
Chief amongst the ‘mourners’ at the fall of Babylon, are the “merchants”, the purveyors of her “delicacies”, her evil luxuries.
“The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, and cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate,” Revelation 18:15-19.
The making of money, irrespective of the laws of God, which should govern such activities, is the business of today. The wrangling between the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and many other nations, is all about COMMERCE!
We here in Ulster find ourselves estranged from the trading rights of the British citizen elsewhere in the United Kingdom as a result of London’s treacherous compliance with the demands of the Republic of Ireland with regards its rights as an EU member. Thus we, quite unconstitutionally, are forced under EU regulations and that by the compliance of the stupid DUP negotiators who agreed to this folly!
4. Please note what is stated in verse 4 of Revelation 18.
“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.”
Even in the days of the FULLNESS of wickedness and apostasy from God, God’s people will be deceived and caught up in it because of their love for that which the Antichrist offers!
Eden
Nothing has changed from that entangling meeting between the devil and Eve back in the Garden of Eden! In the future ‘man-made Garden of Eden’, many believers will embrace the lie and side with the devil!
HOWEVER, the Lord does not leave His people there. It is a repeat of the dragging of Lot out of Sodom, before the judgement of God fell!
‘Come-outers’
One old faithful preacher once said: ‘I have spent my life coming out of organisations and groups’! Yes, God’s people have ever been ‘come-outers’ and that because they find themselves being deceived, at least to some degree, in the company of those who are the enemies of God!
WHEN???
Just when it will be necessary for faithful Christians to ‘rise and depart’ from the Free Presbyterian Church which, under its present leadership is entering upon a path which, without a shadow of a doubt, will lead to the crossroads where a decision will have to be made about the direction we should be taking?
A PICTURE FOR THESE TIMES
I observed in a chapter I read as part of my daily reading, back on 19th of September, just when it was David forsook Jerusalem in the face of Absalom’s rebellion.
Absalom had long been a rebel and should have been dealt with by David when he murdered his brother, Amnon. Amnon had committed an evil act but Absalom had not the right to kill him. However, David doubtless felt the guilt of his own backsliding and was thus weakened and failed to deal with a son upon whom he had lavished favour and in truth spoiled, failing to be a faithful parent and king.
Weakened by compromise
That is the case with the Free Presbyterian Church at present. We have the ‘spirit’ of the wilful defiant of ‘Absalom’ at work in our midst and our Presbytery leaders have failed to act against it as they should.
Having compromised their duties when action was called for in recent times, it became more difficult to deal with the growing errors and sin in the face of their continuing compromise.
Eventually
As with Absalom, defiance and rebellion will eventually demand the ‘throne’, the rule and leadership of the Free Presbyterian Church.
That is when we must follow David’s example. David forsook Jerusalem when it was proclaimed: “As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron,” 2 Samuel 15:10.
When ‘another king’ is declared to be ruler in the Free Presbyterian Church, other than the ‘Only Head and King of the Church, the Lord Jesus Christ’ and the word of His rule, the Holy Scriptures, have been overthrown, then we MUST act as did David.
“And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom. And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword. And the king’s servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint. And the king went forth, and all his household after him,” 2 Samuel 15:13-16.
The faithful and loyal ‘servants’ only left when the king said so! To have left earlier would have meant deserting the king.
Wilderness
From the wilderness to which the David and his loyal company had resorted in the face of Absalom’s rebellion, the fight to reinstate the true, God-appointed king, was organised and, of course, eventually was triumphant.
A separated people are always despised by those from whom they separated in obedience to God’s command. Some of us are old enough to remember the despising that was heaped upon us by the ecumenical churches from which, under God’s guidance, we left to become part of ‘God’s despised few’.
However, as it is with Revelation 18:4, those that separated were able to participate in the praise of victory when the cause of ‘Antichrist’ will be destroyed.
“Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her,” Revelation 18:20.
Dear fellow Free Presbyterians, pray that the Lord in mercy and in remembrance of the faithful stand taken in 1951 will yet intervene in the backsliding of our denomination and bring us back to that covenant we entered into with the Lord on 28th February 1988, some thirty seven years ago, when we as a people swore that we would
‘Be for all that Christ is for and against all that Christ is against’!
A copy of that Covenant must surely hang still in some of our churches, as it does in the porch here in Kilskeery, honoured and faithfully observed.
Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)
26th September 2025