The Antichrist

In literature, all a writer need do to depict a character as abominably evil is to make a metaphorical reference to the “antichrist.” Such a comparison will immediately bring to the reader’s mind a picture of the most wicked of persons—the zenith of all that is evil. The term “antichrist” is a very familiar biblical term, readily recognized in both non-secular and secular circles alike, and makes reference to a yet future evil ruler. Though being a very familiar character to many, this malevolent person’s mission and career are sometimes misunderstood. So what does the Bible actually tell us about this evil person? When will he come on to the world scene, how will his rule be characterized, and what will he actually be like? In the following study, we will investigate this end-times character of the Bible, and endeavor to learn more about this infamous person known as the “antichrist.” For purposes of discussion, this study has been divided into the following sections: I) The First Reference to the Antichrist in the Bible II) Other References to the Antichrist in the Bible a) Old Testament b) New Testament III) Attributes of the Antichrist IV) The Beginning of the Rule of the Antichrist V) The Career of the Antichrist VI) The World Economic System of the Antichrist VII) The Religious System of the Antichrist VIII) The Antichrist’s Persecution of Christians and Jews IX) The Ultimate End of the Antichrist The First Reference to the Antichrist in the Bible Surprisingly, the first reference we have to this yet-future leader was made to Adam and Eve while they were still in the Garden of Eden. We all know the story of how the serpent, Satan in disguise, deceived Adam and Eve into eating fruit from the tree of knowledge of which God had strictly forbidden them. After this occurred, and God revealed their sin, He made the following statement to the serpent (Satan), “ And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” (NKJ: Genesis 3:15) This was a prophecy regarding the offspring, “seed”, of the serpent, Satan, and the offspring of the woman, Eve. The “offspring of the woman” is actually a specific reference to Jesus Christ. This is inferred due to the fact that “Seed” is singular in the Hebrew text, versus plural, which would have been used if talking about all of mankind; therefore, it is referring to one specific man. Second, the term “Seed” is never used in reference to a woman, since the “Seed” is provided by the man, but, with the virgin birth of our Lord, the reference to the woman’s “Seed” refers to the immaculate conception of Jesus Christ. Conversely, the “seed” of the serpent, Satan, is then a reference to his specific offspring, that being the antichrist, “The dragon (Satan) gave him (the antichrist) his power, his throne, and great authority.” (NKJ: Revelation 13:2) The antichrist will be Satan’s evil masterpiece, and Satan will control every aspect of the antichrist’s rule . Satan will “bruise the heel” of the woman’s seed, Jesus Christ, referring to His suffering and death on the Cross, “ But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” (NKJ: Isaiah 53:5) But a bruised heel is not a mortal wound, referring to His resurrection. On the other hand, Jesus Christ will bruise the head of Satan, which is a mortal wound, referring to His ultimate victory over Satan, and the antichrist, at His Second Coming, “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years….The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast (antichrist) and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (NKJ: Revelation 20:1-2, 10) Other References to the Antichrist in the Bible Old Testament References to the Antichrist References to the antichrist in the Old Testament can be subtle, and, at times, less than easy to identify. In speaking of this future evil world leader, Old Testament writers would make reference to the antichrist in various manners, such as: 1) Making reference to a future person to come, in whom would indwell evil intentions and who would carry out evil plans against the inhabitants of the earth. 2) At times the writers would note that, though being evil, this person would be used by the Lord for His own purpose, and that purpose being to pour out His judgment and wrath on an evil and unbelieving world. 3) It is also interesting to note that these references will at times be buried within narratives talking about a current leader at that time. The narrative will be speaking in current-day terms, but then will suddenly and mysteriously appear to advance into the future. These shifts can be very subtle. 4) And then there is what is referred to as a “foreshadowing” or “type.” These terms are used when an Old Testament person has attributes that both apply to themselves, but are also prophetical references to attributes held by a future New Testament person. Most often this is used in reference to Jesus Christ, but there are also a number relating to the antichrist. The following are some examples of what are believed to be, by many conservative scholars, references to the antichrist in the Old Testament (I need to note here that Old Testament references to the antichrist are always debatable, and one should never hang their hat on any verse proposed to be a prophetic reference to the antichrist until they have done their proper homework in researching the verse—Acts 17:11): - Adversary (Amos 3:11—cf. Psalm 74:8-10; Isaiah 59:19-20; Lamentations 4:11,12): “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘An adversary shall be all around the land; He shall sap your strength from you, And your palaces shall be plundered.’” The antichrist shall be the adversary and enemy against all that is righteous and that is of God. - Assyrian (Isaiah 10:5-6, 12, 20; (cf. Isaiah 25:25-26)): ““Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger And the staff in whose hand is My indignation. I will send him against an ungodly nation, And against the people of My wrath I will give him charge, To seize the spoil, to take the prey, And to tread them down like the mire of the streets…. Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Lord has performed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, that He will say, ‘I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his haughty looks…. And it shall come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel, and such as have escaped of the house of Jacob, will never again depend on him who defeated them, but will depend on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.’” In Isaiah chapter 10, it is prophesied that God will use Assyria, in particular, the king of Assyria, to punish Israel for their sin and unbelief. However, in verses 12 and 20, we have veiled references to the end times, that is, the seven-year tribulation period, when “it shall come to pass in that day” (this phrase is used often in the Old Testament to refer to the end times) that God will punish the Assyrian king for his evil ways, and Israel will “never again depend on him who defeated them, but will depend on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.” There is only one point in time when the words “never again” can be used of Israel in relation to depending on no one else except the LORD, and that is after the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Though an accurate prophecy of how God would use Assyria in that current day, this verse is also thought to be prophetically talking about the reign of the antichrist, and how God will use him for His own purposes, that is, to punish a sinful and unbelieving world. It can be said of the Assyrian king that he is a “foreshadowing” or “type” of the antichrist. - Wicked one & Wicked Counselor (Nahum 1:11-15): “From you comes forth one Who plots evil against the Lord, A wicked counselor. Thus says the Lord: “Though they are safe, and likewise many, Yet in this manner they will be cut down when he passes through. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more; For now I will break off his yoke from you, and burst your bonds apart.” The Lord has given a command concerning you: ‘Your name shall be perpetuated no longer. Out of the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the molded image. I will dig your grave, For you are vile.’ Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good tidings, Who proclaims peace! O Judah, keep your appointed feasts, perform your vows. For the wicked one shall no more pass through you; He is utterly cut off.” This verse looks forward to the time when the antichrist, a wicked person who counsels or advises others to do that which is evil in the sight of the Lord, will be “utterly cut off” by “him who brings good tidings, who proclaims peace (Jesus Christ)” and will be cast into hell, the Lake of Fire, for eternity (cf. Revelation 20:20). - Branch of the Terrible Ones (Isaiah 25:25--KJ & Isaiah 14:16, 19): “Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.” & “Those who see you will gaze at you, and consider you, saying: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms,…. But you are cast out of your grave Like an abominable branch…” A “branch” refers to offspring or lineage. As Jesus Christ was the righteous Branch from God (cf. Isaiah 4:2,11:1; Jeremiah 23:5, 33:15), so will the antichrist be an evil branch from Satan himself, an abomination. - Idol Shepherd (Zechariah 11:16-17): “For indeed I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for those who are cut off, nor seek the young, nor heal those that are broken, nor feed those that still stand. But he will eat the flesh of the fat and tear their hooves in pieces. Woe to the worthless shepherd, Who leaves the flock! A sword shall be against his arm And against his right eye; His arm shall completely wither, And his right eye shall be totally blinded.” Jesus says in the book of John about Himself, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” (NKJ: John 10:11) Jesus Christ referred to Himself as the “good shepherd”, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” (NKJ: John 10:11) Our Lord and Savior loves us so much that He gave His life for us. But another shepherd will come in the last days of whom many will follow. He will care not for those he rules over, but instead will abuse them and forsake them while he carries out his own evil plans. - Willful King (Daniel 11:36): “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done.” Those who belong to God seek out His will for their lives. But the antichrist, being everything that is not of God, will follow his own evil will. In his extreme arrogance and pride, he will speak terrible things about the one true God, and set himself up as the object of worship over God. The above verses are just a small selection of Old Testament verses prophetically talking about and portraying the antichrist, and are some of the more obvious references. At the end of this study, in Addendum I, there is a list of additional Old Testament verses that are interpreted by some conservative scholars as also being prophetic references to the antichrist. New Testament References to the Antichrist I have heard it said that the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. In other words, the Old Testament will speak of future events in a cloaked manner, having the reader many times puzzled at the true meaning. Whereas, in the New Testament, these same things are spoken of in a clear manner, thus revealing what was previously concealed. When read together, both the Old and New Testaments, they wonderfully complement each other. In the case of the antichrist, this is very true, for whereas the Old Testament spoke of this future world leader with mysterious and veiled references, the New Testament will reveal this person in a much clearer manner: - Antichrist, Pseudo-Christ (I John 2:18): “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.” The prefix “anti” in the Greek has a primary meaning of “in opposition to”, but also has a secondary meaning of “in place of.” The antichrist will both be in opposition to our Lord and Savior, and will establish himself as a replacement for the Messiah in that he will cause the world to worship him instead of the Lord. - Beast (Revelation 11:7; (cf. Revelation 13)): “When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.” This title is used frequently of the antichrist in the book of Revelation—over thirty times. We see here the character of the antichrist being portrayed as a wild beast. He will possess a ferociousness against all that is righteous and of God, and will not cease to slay and destroy all that is of God. - Lawless One (II Thessalonians 2:8): “And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” The antichrist will oppose all authority, whether of heaven or on earth, and will follow his own will. - Man of Sin (II Thessalonians 2:3): “no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,…” The antichrist will embody everything that is evil, and be the personification thereof. - One who comes in his own name (John 5:43): “I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.” Jesus Christ came in the name of His Father, God, giving honor to Him, but the antichrist will honor no other gods, but will come in his own name, and hold himself out as the supreme being for which all worship should be centered. - Son of Perdition (II Thessalonians 2:3): “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,…” In Satan we have the origin of all that is wicked and evil. The antichrist will be Satan’s spiritual offspring, and he will directly follow in all the ways of his father. Jesus said of Himself, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father…” (NKJ: John 14:9) Likewise, we will be able to say of the antichrist, “He who will see the antichrist will have seen Satan.” - The White Horseman (Revelation 6:1-2): “Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.” This verse speaks of the antichrist and his assumption of power. Symbolically he rides a white horse, which may mean he will appear as a righteous leader in that “white” is generally used in the Bible to symbolize righteousness. His crown is that of a victor, (in Greek “stephanos”) similar to those given to victors in the Greek sporting events of that day, rather than the crown of a king (in the Greek, “diadem”). Also of note is that he has a bow, the weaponry of that day, which probably symbolizes his military power. However, note that there is no mention of arrows, of which some commentators view as symbolic of the antichrist, at least at first, conquering through peaceful means. He will be victorious through a show of military power, and through peaceful, though intimidating, means he will subdue and bring under his control many countries. Attributes of the Antichrist This is probably the most misunderstood aspect of the antichrist, that is, his outward character and appearance. Many people picture him to be some sort of Hitler-type individual with which at one look we would be able to see the evil character of this person. However, this could not be farther than the truth. We read in Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth, “For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness…” (NKJ: II Corinthians 11:14-15) Satan and his followers, especially the antichrist, are not fools. They realize that to deceive us, they must appear to be good and righteous people to gain our trust, and so will be with the antichrist. As with those in many of the Christian cults today, who put on an outward appearance of goodness with the intention of luring many an unsuspecting person into their heretical groups, so will be the antichrist. He will initially appear as a benevolent ruler, bringing about peace and stability in the world. But, as we will see later in our study, once he has established his rule, his evil side will unfold. The antichrist will possess attributes that will have the world view him as a very strong and charismatic leader. Through the Scriptures we are given glimpses of some of these attributes that will cause the world to follow and ultimately worship this man of sin: 1) The antichrist will be an intellectual genius “Behold, you are wiser than Daniel! There is no secret that can be hidden from you!” (NKJ: Ezekiel 28:3) Speaking of the antichrist, we learn that he will be wiser than the prophet Daniel, a very wise man in the Bible to whom God gave many prophecies. Further, we are told that no secret will be able to be hidden from him indicating that he most likely will have supernatural discernment of world events. “And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their fullness, a king shall arise, having fierce features, who understands sinister schemes.” (NKJ: Daniel 8:23) The antichrist will be a master of deceit. He will devise sinister schemes to bring an increase to his rule, and to deceive people into both following him and worshiping him. “the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.” (NKJ: Daniel 7:20) The “eyes” here can be interpreted as speaking of and symbolic of knowledge and wisdom, for he will see all that goes on in the world. 2) The antichrist will be a very skilled and persuasive orator “the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.” (NKJ: Daniel 7:20) The Hebrew word translated “pompous words” is more literally translated “great things.” The antichrist will speak of great and marvelous things that he will accomplish to entice the people of the world to follow after him. “Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.” (NKJ: Revelation 13:2) Having a mouth of a lion speaks of the strength of his speech. When he speaks, he will command the attention of all those that listen, and they that hear will be impressed by the power of his voice and words. 3) The antichrist will be very wise when it comes to building commerce “With your wisdom and your understanding you have gained riches for yourself, and gathered gold and silver into your treasuries; by your great wisdom in trade you have increased your riches, and your heart is lifted up because of your riches,…” (NKJ: Ezekiel 28:4-5) The antichrist will have “great wisdom” when it comes to the area of building trade and commerce in his kingdom. Through his “wise” leadership, prosperity will increase. “He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver,...” (NKJ: Daniel 11:43) Through his leadership, he will have power over the riches that are increased during his rule. “But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things.” (NKJ: Daniel 11:38) The antichrist will cause prosperity to abound, and then will give honor to these material things instead of God. As Paul wrote to Timothy in his first epistle to him, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (NKJ: I Timothy 6:10) The prosperity created by the antichrist will be used by him to cause many to turn away from God, and to follow after the antichrist because of their greed. “Through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; and he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; But he shall be broken without human means.” (NKJ: Daniel 8:25) Ultimately, this prosperity will turn people’s heads away from God and towards the antichrist. This prosperity will mesmerize people into following the antichrist, and trusting in him versus God. This trust will obviously be misplaced, and will ultimately lead to the destruction of those who choose to follow after the antichrist. 4) The antichrist will be a strong military leader “So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” (NKJ: Revelation 13:4) The antichrist’s military strength and leadership will be as such that the world will marvel at him, and ponder about who would ever be able to successfully wage a war against him. “ His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; he shall destroy fearfully, and shall prosper and thrive; he shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.” (NKJ: Daniel 8:24) His military strength will great and intimidating, but will not be “by his own power,” because the source of his power will dwell in his father, Satan. “And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He (the antichrist) who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.” (NKJ: Revelation 6:2) With his awesome military strength and leadership, the antichrist will go forth into the world and conquer many countries. But note, the “bow”, which symbolizes military weaponry, does not have any arrows. This is thought by some conservative scholars to indicate that the antichrist initially conquers through a show of military power without actually having to use such strength. 5) The antichrist will be a great governmental organizer/unifier “The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.” (NKJ: Revelation 13:2) The “dragon”, Satan, will empower the antichrist, and give him great authority over the world. And the world will initially unify under him. “For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.” (NKJ: Revelation 17:17) God has even ordained that the sinful world, who has denied Him, the one true God, and His Son, will come together of one mind and submit their countries unto the rule of the antichrist. 6) The antichrist will be a unifying religious leader “who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (NKJ: II Thessalonians 2:4) The antichrist will deny the one true God. He will put himself in the place of God, and will have all the world worship him. All religion and worship will be unified under the antichrist. “And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” (NKJ: Revelation 13:4-5) All of the world will worship Satan and the antichrist in a satanic counterfeit of where true worship should reside, that being of God and His Son. See Addendum II to this Bible study regarding the “Satanic Trinity.” “And he (second beast) deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.” (NKJ: Revelation 13:14-15) The false prophet (second beast) will perform misleading signs in front of the world to cause them to worship the antichrist. And this false prophet will create an image or idol of the antichrist to which all the world should give their worship. The penalty for not worshipping the antichrist will be death. The antichrist will be like no other ruler this world has ever seen, or will see until the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He will be a superhuman leader from which no power of this world will be able to withstand. For a discussion on the pseudo-parallels and contrasts between Jesus Christ and the antichrist, see Addendum III of this Bible study. The Beginning of the Rule of the Antichrist The antichrist will begin his rapid rise to power and/or establish his pre-eminent position in world governance at the beginning of, or some time before, the seven-year period know as the Tribulation. We can infer this based on several biblical references. In the book of Daniel we read, “Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering “(NKJ: Daniel (9:27) In this verse from the book of Daniel, the “he” refers to the antichrist, and the “one week,” in Hebrew, refers to a week of years, or seven years. This seven-year period being spoken of is the Tribulation period. One of the politically-catapulting accomplishments of the antichrist will be to bring about some sort of monumental treaty with significant worldwide impact. Many conservative biblical scholars believe that the “many” refers to Israel, and that this treaty will bring about temporary peace in the Middle East between Israel and the Arab nations. Furthermore, in the Paul’s second letter to the church in Thessalonica he writes, “He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” (NKJ: II Thessalonians 2:7-8) The “lawless one” in the verse is a reference to the antichrist. The antichrist will not be revealed until “He who now restrains” is taken out of the way. This restrainer is arguably the Holy Spirit, and, since the Holy Spirit dwells inside each and every Christian within the Church, this would say that the Church must first be taken out of the way prior to the antichrist being revealed and coming to power. Therefore, the antichrist will not begin any sort of significant rule until the pre-Tribulation rapture of the Church (see Bible study on “The Rapture”). The Career of the Antichrist The antichrist will be a strong world leader, and will initially bring about a time of peace and prosperity. However, this time of peace and prosperity will be short lived. We read in the book of Daniel regarding the antichrist, “Through his cunning He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; And he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity.” (NKJ: Daniel 8:25) The King James version, however, translates this verse a little differently, which gives some additional perspective, “And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many.” (KJ: Daniel 8:25) In essence, there will be peace and prosperity for a short period of time under this new leader, which will deceive people into following this apparent great leader. But their trust will be misplaced, and the peaceful and prosperous times will lull people into a false sense of security, which will ultimately lead to their downfall. He will be given world domination for three and one-half years, “…and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?...And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months... And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.” (NKJ: Revelation 13:4-5,7) The origin of his power and authority will be through Satan, “The dragon (Satan) gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.” (NKJ: Revelation 13:2) Hence, the evil nature of his entire rule. We learn through the Scriptures that the antichrist’s power base will be consolidated in a ten-nation confederacy. We first learn of this in the book of Daniel where Daniel is given a symbolic vision of the future rule of the antichrist, and then that vision is interpreted for Daniel: Vision: “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.” (NKJ: Daniel 7:7-8) Interpretation of Vision: “Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all other kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, trample it and break it in pieces. The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them (the antichrist); He (the antichrist) shall be different from the first ones, And shall subdue three kings. He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.” (NKJ: Daniel 7:23-25) Through this vision, and subsequent interpretation, we learn that the antichrist will form a union of ten nations. The rulers of three of these nations, most probably for the reason that they will not fully submit to the rule of the antichrist, will be removed from power by the antichrist, and replaced with more submissive rulers. However, one misconception regarding the antichrist is the concept that he creates a completely unified one-world government that exists during his entire rule. It would appear that he does initially unify the entire world, but we read in the Scriptures that other nations will ultimately come against him in battle. We read in the book of Daniel, “At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through.” (NKJ: Daniel 11:40) This rebellion by other countries should not be misconstrued to be a battle between good and evil. These other nations that will eventually rebel and come against the antichrist are doing so for their own self-serving reasons, whether it be the desire to come out from under his dominating rule, or to challenge him for world domination. This is apparent at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ when all the nations that were gathered to do battle, turn their attention from fighting each other, and join together to battle our Lord, “And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him (Jesus Christ) who sat on the horse and against His army.” (NKJ: Revelation 19:19) None of the nations gathered together to do battle will side with our returning Savior, but will all in unison attempt to do battle with Jesus Christ at His Second Coming. Though his initial rule will consolidate through apparent peaceful measures, ultimately the antichrist’s true nature will come forth. We read of his brutal warlike nature in the book of Daniel, “And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their fullness, a king shall arise, having fierce features, who understands sinister schemes. His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; he shall destroy fearfully, and shall prosper and thrive; he shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people. Through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; and he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without human means.” (NKJ: Daniel 8:23-25) The antichrist will brutally come against all those who would attempt to oppose him. Furthermore, his rule will be characterized by an evil hatred towards all that is of God and righteous, “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain.” (NKJ: Daniel 11:36-39) The antichrist will elevate himself to be greater than God, and all divine worship shall be focused on him, “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (II Thessalonians 2:3-4) Under his rule, all that truly is of God shall be blasphemed, and attempted to be destroyed. Of interesting note is the apparent fact that at some point during the initial part of his rule, the antichrist will receive a mortal wound, possibly through an assassination attempt, but he will miraculously survive: -“And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?.... he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.” (NKJ: Revelation 13:3-4,14) -“For indeed I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for those who are cut off, nor seek the young, nor heal those that are broken, nor feed those that still stand. But he will eat the flesh of the fat and tear their hooves in pieces. Woe to the worthless shepherd, Who leaves the flock! A sword shall be against his arm And against his right eye; His arm shall completely wither, And his right eye shall be totally blinded.” (NKJ: Zechariah 11:16-17) The miraculous healing of what is an apparent mortal wound to the antichrist will even more cause the world to marvel at and follow after this apparent great world leader. The World Economic System of the Antichrist The antichrist will establish a world-wide economic system that will completely eliminate all forms of hard currency, that is, paper bills and coins. Even credit cards will be obsolete. He will change the economic system for buying and selling to require that a person receive a “mark” upon their body through which they will perform all monetary transactions, “He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.” (NKJ: Revelation 13:16-18) Up until the last several decades, this concept was very puzzling. But now, with the advent of laser scanners, computer chips that can be placed under the skin, and massive computer systems, this concept is all too conceivable. And this economic system will not be optional, but for anyone to be able to buy or sell in the new economy, they must receive this mark. To not receive the mark will cause one to not be able to function in modern society in that they will be unable to initiate any monetary transactions. However, even more scary than that will be the fact that those not receiving the mark will be easily identified as Christians, for those will be the only ones refusing to take the mark. It should be noted that no one will unknowingly take the mark of the beast, the antichrist, but they will know full well that by taking the mark they are choosing to follow the antichrist rather than God. All of the world will know this through a message directly from God through one of His angels. We learn of this in the book of Revelation, when God sends three angels with three separate messages to be delivered to the world. These angels fly throughout the atmosphere, delivering their messages. The third of these three messages specifically addresses the mark of the beast, the antichrist, “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” (NKJ: Revelation 14:9-13) The final words in this passage should be of special note, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” Many will die from this point on who will refuse to take the mark of the beast, and they are to be encouraged by these words in that they will be blessed for their faith and loyalty to the Lord unto death. The Religious System of the Antichrist As we have discussed previously, one of the attributes of the antichrist is that he will be a unifying religious leader. This worldwide religion will be a satanic worship of the antichrist and Satan, “And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon (Satan) who gave authority to the beast (antichrist); and they worshiped the beast (antichrist), saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” (NKJ: Revelation 13:4-5) The antichrist will not only bring about a worldwide religious system, but he himself will be the object of that worship. He will establish himself as a god worthy of worldwide worship, “who opposes and exalts himself (the antichrist) above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (NKJ: II Thessalonians 2:4) Furthermore, membership in this new universal religious system will not be voluntary, but mandatory. And those choosing not to follow in this new religion, and not to worship the antichrist will face execution, “And he (second beast/false prophet) deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.” (NKJ: Revelation 13:14-15) For one to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior during this period of time will mean to put one’s life in grave danger. In relation to this new universal religion, let us now touch upon what is referred to in the Bible as the “abomination of desolation.” The following are key passages in the Bible referring to this event: “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days.” (NKJ: Daniel 12;11) Spoken by Jesus: “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains…. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.” (NKJ: Matthew 24:15-16,21-22) To properly understand what is taking place here in this future event, we should first touch upon a few key points in this passage. First, in Scripture, the word “abomination” is used to refer to something that is completely detestable and unacceptable in the sight of the Lord, and, as we will see in this case, is referring to idol worship (cf. Deuteronomy 7:25-26,20:18,27:15,29:17,32:16; I Kings 11:7). Next, in the verse above from the book of Matthew, this abomination is referred to as “standing in the holy place.” The “holy place” refers to the innermost room in the temple, which could only be entered into by the High Priest (cf. Exodus 26:33, Leviticus 16:2, I Kings 8:6), and was the most holy place in the temple. This abomination will be standing in this most holy place. Finally, in the verse from the book of Daniel above, we are told that the “daily sacrifice is taken away.” Well, if it is taken away, then it must have previously been instituted and was being practiced. Based on these key points, we can infer that in these last days, the Temple has been rebuilt in Israel, for the holy place is in existence, and the daily sacrifices have been instituted, both of which require the existence of the Temple. Further, we also know that the antichrist defiles the holy place of the temple by setting up some form of “idol” to himself to be worshiped instead of God in this holy place. Mysteriously, we read of this “idol” or “image” in the book of Revelation, “He (second beast/false prophet) was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.” (Revelation 13:15) This image of the antichrist, which is to be worshipped, has the capacity to communicate, i.e. “speak,” in some fashion, and even to be able to identify those who are not properly worshipping the antichrist and to mark them for execution. Up until the past couple of decades, this verse would have completely puzzled the reader. But now, with today’s advancements in the areas of artificial intelligence, super computers, micro-chip implant technology, and GPS technology, such an image falls right into line with our modern-day technological capabilities. The Antichrist’s Persecution of Christians and Jews It would appear that the antichrist will come on to the scene as a religious unifier. In the book of Daniel we read concerning the antichrist, “Then he [the antichrist, referred to in the previous verse as “the prince who is to come,” which is a title of the antichrist] shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, …” “(NKJ: Daniel (9:26-27) The antichrist will create some form of treaty, which it is believed by many conservative scholars to allow the temple to be rebuilt, and the Levitical sacrifices and offerings to be reinstituted. The “one week” refers to a week of years, or seven years, or, more specifically, referring to the Tribulation period. However, in the middle of this seven-year period, after 3 ½ years, the antichrist will bring an end to these sacrifices, and break the treaty. We further read in Daniel regarding this evil leader, ““So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong…. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time…. “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.” (NKJ: Daniel 11:30-32;12:1,11-12) The antichrist will break his agreement with Israel to allow them to worship God, and will desecrate their temple in a terrible manner referred to as “the abomination of desolation”—discussed in the previous section. There will be a time of persecution lasting approximately 3 ½ years, or “one thousand two hundred and ninety days.” This time of persecution is also mentioned earlier in the book of Daniel, “He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time (the phrase “time and times and half a time” is generally interpreted as meaning three and one-half years with “time” symbolizing a year and “times” (in the Hebrew dual tense) symbolizing two years, and “half a time” symbolizing a half year).” (NKJ: Daniel 7:25) In the book of Zechariah, we read that two-thirds of the Jewish population will be wiped out by the antichrist, but the Lord will preserve the remaining one-third, “ Then I will turn My hand against the little ones. And it shall come to pass in all the land,” Says the Lord, “That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one-third shall be left in it: I will bring the one-third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’” (NKJ: Zechariah 13:7-9) Jesus Christ makes reference to this time of persecution in what is referred to as His Olivett Discourse where He teaches about the end times, more specifically, the seven-year Tribulation period, “’Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place’ (whoever reads, let him understand), ‘then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.’” (NKJ: Matthew 24:15-22) Apparently, these times will be so horrific, that if left to go on for more than a short-time, all of the world would be destroyed, “no flesh would be saved.” In the book of Revelation, we read about the persecution of those who are true to our Lord during the Tribulation period, “And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (NKJ: Revelation 13:5-8) Again, we see his persecution and power over the Christians and Jews is forty-two months, or 3 ½ years. This persecution is no minor thing, for if one were to choose not to worship the antichrist, they would lose their life, “He [the false prophet who is the world religious leader following the antichrist] was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” (NKJ: Revelation 13:15-17) And it would appear that death would come through beheading, “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands.” (NKJ: Revelation 20:4) In these end times during the seven-year Tribulation period to come there will be no casual Christians, for to be a follower of Christ in those times will be a death sentence. The Ultimate End of the Antichrist At the end of the seven-year Tribulation period, other nations will rise against the antichrist, which will culminate in a final battle in the valley of Magiddo, in Israel, known as Armageddon: “At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown….But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him.” (NKJ: Daniel 11:40-41,44-45) These armies will initially gather to fight each other, but at that time, the Lord will come back to the earth in His Second Coming, and all the armies will strangely unite together to wage their battle against the Lord, “And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him (Jesus Christ) who sat on the horse and against His army.” (NKJ: Revelation 19:19) The battle will be short lived, and the Lord will quickly and completely conquer these armies: “And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.” (NKJ: Revelation 19:21) “when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,…” (NKJ: II Thessalonians 1:7-9) And the antichrist will be thrown into the Lake of Fire, hell, to spend eternity in torment: “Then the beast (the antichrist) was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.” (NKJ: Revelation 19:20) “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast (antichrist) and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (NKJ: Revelation 20:10) Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has promised to return a second time, and to make all things right again. Upon His return, the antichrist, along with his father, Satan, will be removed from the earth, and cast into the Lake of Fire to endure eternal torment separated from God. Final Comments As Christians, when we read about this future evil world leader, the antichrist, we are reading about a future that we personally will never experience, since we will have already been raptured up into heaven to be with our Lord prior to his reign during the seven-year tribulation period (see Bible study on PreTribulation Rapture). Therefore, though these times will be terrible, we need not be of concern for ourselves. However, these times should be of special interest to those who are currently in the decision process of whether to accept or reject Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. As the common phrase goes, “there’s the easy way, and then there’s the hard way,” and this phrase is very applicable to this situation. For to accept Jesus Christ today as one’s Lord and Savior is an easy act to perform, at least in most parts of the world, but for those who delay and will ultimately accept the Lord during the time of the antichrist, for them their choice will lead to severe suffering, and will most probably result in a gruesome death here on earth. So the obvious question will be to these fence-sitters, “what are you waiting for?” Addendums to the Study Addendum I: Additional Names in the Old Testament Thought to Refer to the Antichrist In this study was given some examples of Old Testament references to the antichrist. The following are some additional Old Testament verses believed by some conservative scholars to be referencing the antichrist: - Bloody and Deceitful Man (Psalm 5:6): “ You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.” - Cruel One (Jeremiah 30:14): “ All your lovers have forgotten you; They do not seek you; For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, With the chastisement of a cruel one, For the multitude of your iniquities, Because your sins have increased” - Deceitful tongue (Isaiah 52:4): “You love all devouring words, You deceitful tongue.” - Destroyer of the Gentiles (Jeremiah 4:7): “ The lion has come up from his thicket, And the destroyer of nations is on his way. He has gone forth from his place To make your land desolate. Your cities will be laid waste, Without inhabitant.” - Enemy (Psalm55:3;(cf. Jeremiah 30:14,23): “Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked; For they bring down trouble upon me, And in wrath they hate me.” - Evil Man (Psalm 110:6): “Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man; Seek out his wickedness until You find none.” - Head of Northern Army (Joel 2:20): “But I will remove far from you the northern army, And will drive him away into a barren and desolate land, With his face toward the eastern sea And his back toward the western sea; His stench will come up, And his foul odor will rise, Because he has done monstrous things.” - King of Princes (Hosea 8:10): “ Yes, though they have hired among the nations, Now I will gather them; And they shall sorrow a little, Because of the burden of the king of princes.” - Little Horn (Daniel 7:8,11 (cf. Daniel 7:21-26; 8:9-12,23-25)): “I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words…. I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame." - Man of the Earth (Psalm 10:18): “To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, That the man of the earth may oppress no more.” - Merchant, with balances of deceit (Hosea 12:7): “A cunning Canaanite! Deceitful scales are in his hand; He loves to oppress.” - Mighty Man (Psalm 52:1): “Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually.” - Nail (Isaiah 22:25): “25In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘the peg that is fastened in the secure place will be removed and be cut down and fall, and the burden that was on it will be cut off; for the Lord has spoken.’” - Prince that shall come (Daniel 9:26): “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined.” - Prince of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:2; (cf. Ezekiel 28:3-10): “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because your heart is lifted up, And you say, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods, In the midst of the seas,’ Yet you are a man, and not a god, Though you set your heart as the heart of a god.” - Profane Wicked Prince of Israel (Ezekiel 21:25-27): “Now to you, O profane, wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose iniquity shall end, thus says the Lord GOD: “Remove the turban, and take off the crown; Nothing shall remain the same. Exalt the humble, and humble the exalted. Overthrown, overthrown, I will make it overthrown! It shall be no longer, Until He comes whose right it is, And I will give it to Him.”’ - Proud Man (Habakuk 2:5): “Indeed, because he transgresses by wine, He is a proud man, And he does not stay at home. Because he enlarges his desire as hell, And he is like death, and cannot be satisfied, He gathers to himself all nations And heaps up for himself all peoples.” - Rod of God’s anger (Isaiah 10:5-6): “Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger And the staff in whose hand is My indignation. I will send him against an ungodly nation, And against the people of My wrath I will give him charge, To seize the spoil, to take the prey, And to tread them down like the mire of the streets.” - Spoiler, Destroyer (Isaiah 16:4,5 (cf. Jeremiah 6:26)): “Let My outcasts dwell with you, O Moab; Be a shelter to them from the face of the spoiler. For the extortioner is at an end, Devastation ceases, The oppressors are consumed out of the land. In mercy the throne will be established; And One will sit on it in truth, in the tabernacle of David, Judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness.” - Twisted Serpent (Job 26:13; Isaiah 27:1):” By His Spirit He adorned the heavens; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.”…. “In that day the Lord with His severe sword, great and strong, Will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; And He will slay the reptile that is in the sea.” - Vile Person (Daniel 11:21): “And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue.” Addendum II: The Antichrist as Part of the Satanic Trinity Satan is a master at masquerade and deception. One of his deceptions will be to have the world accept his son, the antichrist, as its savior, that is, the one to make all things right in the world. Concerning this deception, we read in the Scriptures: “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,…” (NKJ: II Thessalonians 2:9-11) “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (NKJ: Matthew 24:23-24) This deception will be carried out through what many conservative scholars call the satanic or unholy trinity. We learn in the Bible about the Holy Trinity: God (The Father), Jesus Christ (The Son), and the Holy Spirit. Satan will attempt to establish his own satanic trinity: Satan, antichrist, and the false prophet. This unholy trinity is very evident in chapter 13 of Revelation where we have the dragon (Satan), the first beast (the antichrist), and the second beast (false prophet). The dragon (satan) gives power and authority to the first beast (antichrist) in verse 2, just as God the Father gave power and authority to His Son. All worship is directed to the antichrist in verse 8, just as all worship is supposed to be focused on Jesus Christ. And the second beast (the false prophet) directs all people to worship the first beast (antichrist) in verse 12, just as the Holy Spirit convicts the hearts of us to come to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and believe in and worship Him. Addendum III: Psuedo-Parallels and Direct Contrasts Between Jesus Christ and the Antichrist The unbelieving part of the world, that is, those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, will follow after the antichrist as their false Messiah. It is very interesting to study the various ways that the antichrist will mimic or copy attributes of the real Messiah, Jesus Christ, and also to study the direct contrasts of the two. The following is a selection of comparisons between the antichrist and Jesus Christ, both parallel attributes, and direct contrasts: Parallel Attributes Between the Antichrist and Jesus Christ 1) Both Jesus and the antichrist died and came back to life Jesus Christ: “that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,…” (NKJ: I Corinthians 15:4) Antichrist: “I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. ” (NKJ: Revelation 13:3) 2) Both Jesus and the antichrist perform miracles Jesus Christ: “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—…” (NKJ: Acts 2:22) Antichrist: “coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,” (NKJ: II Thessalonians 2:9) 3) Followers of both Jesus and the antichrist will be sealed on their foreheads Jesus Christ: “saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” (NKJ: Revelation 7:3,cf. 14:1) Antichrist: “He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” (Revelation 13:16, 17) 4) Both Jesus and the antichrist are/will be objects of universal worship Jesus Christ: “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,…” (NKJ: Philippians 2:10) Antichrist: “So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” (NKJ: Revelation 13:4) 5) Both Jesus and the antichrist are shown riding a white horse Jesus Christ: “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. ” (NKJ: Revelation 19:11) Antichrist: “I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.” (NKJ: Revelation 6:2) 6) Both Jesus and the antichrist will rule over kings (the antichrist for a temporary period, Jesus Christ for eternity) Jesus Christ: “These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” (NKJ: Revelation 17:14) Antichrist: “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.” (NKJ: Revelation 17:12-13) 7) Both Jesus and the antichrist are described in past, present, and future terms Jesus Christ: “The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. and they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (NKJ: Revelation 4:8) Antichrist: “The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.” (NKJ: Revelation 17:8) 8) Both Jesus and the antichrist are revealed at their appointed time Jesus Christ: “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law”(NKJ: Galatians 4:4) Antichrist: “And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. ” (NKJ: II Thessalonians 2:6) 9) Both Jesus and the antichrist will make a covenant with Israel Jesus Christ: “Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—…” (NKJ: Hebrews 8:8) Antichrist: “Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. and on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate.” (Daniel 9:27) 10) Both Jesus and the antichrist are real men Jesus Christ: “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, ” (NKJ: I Timothy 2:5) Antichrist: “no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,… (NKJ: II Thessalonians 2:3) Direct Contrasting Attributes Between the Antichrist and Jesus Christ 1)Designation: Christ versus antichrist Jesus Christ: “Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (NKJ: Matthew 16:16) Antichrist: “and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” (NKJ: I John 4:3) 2) Designation: Son of God versus Son of Perdition Jesus Christ: “And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”” (NKJ: John 1:34) Antichrist: “no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of £sin is revealed, the son of perdition,…” (NKJ: II Thessalonians 2:3) 3) Designation: Lamb versus Beast Jesus Christ: “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ” (NKJ: John 1:29) Antichrist: “When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. ” (NKJ: Revelation 11:7) 4) Designation: Holy One versus Wicked One Jesus Christ: “saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” (NKJ: Mark 1:24) Antichrist: “then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” (II Thessalonians 2:8) 5) Designation: The Truth versus The Lie Jesus Christ: “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (NKJ: John 14:6) Antichrist: “ you are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. ” (NKJ: John 8:44) 6) Designation: Seed of the woman versus Seed of the serpent Jesus Christ & antichrist: “ And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” 7) Designation: Good Shepherd versus Idol Shepherd Jesus Christ: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” (NKJ: John 10:11) Antichrist: “Woe to the worthless shepherd, who leaves the flock! A sword shall be against his arm and against his right eye; his arm shall completely wither, and his right eye shall be totally blinded.” (NKJ: Zechariah 11:17) 8) Christ humbled Himself verses the antichrist exalting himself Jesus Christ: “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” (NKJ: Philippians 2:8) Antichrist: “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done.” (NKJ: Daniel 11:36) 9) Christ came down from heaven versus the antichrist coming up out of the bottomless pit Jesus Christ: “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.” (NKJ: John 3:13) Antichrist: “When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.” (NKJ: Revelation 11:7) 10) Christ was energized by the Holy Spirit versus the antichrist being energized by Satan Jesus Christ: “Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.” (NKJ: Luke 4:14) Antichrist: “they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” (NKJ: Revelation 13:4) 11) Christ glorified God on earth versus the antichrist blaspheming the name of God Jesus Christ: “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” (NKJ: John 17:4) Antichrist: “Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.” (Revelation 13:6) 12) Christ submitted Himself to God versus the antichrist defying God Jesus Christ: “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” (NKJ: John 5:30) Antichrist: “who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (II Thessalonians 2:4) 13) Christ honored the God of His Fathers versus the antichrist refusing to do so Jesus Christ: “So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.” (NKJ: Luke 4:16) Antichrist: “shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all.” (NKJ: Daniel 11:37) 14) Christ came in Another’s Name versus the antichrist coming in his own name Jesus Christ & Antichrist: “have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. ” (John 5:43) 15) Christ cleansed the temple versus the antichrist defiling the temple Jesus Christ: “And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. 15When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. 16And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” (NKJ: John 2:14-16) Antichrist: “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (NKJ: Matthew 24:15) 16) Christ leads the flock versus the antichrist leaving the flock Jesus Christ: “To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” (NKJ: John 10:3) Antichrist: “Woe to the worthless shepherd, who leaves the flock! A sword shall be against his arm and against his right eye; his arm shall completely wither, and his right eye shall be totally blinded.” (NKJ: Zechariah: 11:17) 17) Christ was received up into heaven versus the antichrist to be thrown into the Lake of Fire Jesus Christ: “So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. ” (NKJ: Luke 24:51) Antichrist: “the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. ” (NKJ: Revelation 19:20)