When discussing anything that has to do with the return of the Lord and end time events, the term antichrist will inevitably be part of the conversation. There have been and are many different interpretations of whom or what the antichrist is. I have heard about leaders from the past 2000 years like different Popes, Hitler, Napoleon, George Bush, Ronald Reagan, the list goes on and on. We have been told about a Jew from the tribe of Dan, a dark skinned Syrian or Middle Eastern man, and many more. Even now, Barak Obama is now considered to be “him”. Many even conclude that someone from the past will be resurrected to fulfill the “deadly wound was healed” verse in the Scriptures. Most of the time, these ideas come from within the church. It causes great confusion and uncertainty to what is in the Word. I believe that the Lord does not want us to be in the darkness regarding any of His Word. He wants His people to seek Him with all of their heart and in faith. His delight is in His people, and He will reveal to us the truth and things to come.
Before we get into the Scriptures, let’s determine what antichrist means. First, we know that Christ is the Greek word for anointed one or Messiah. So when we say Jesus Christ, it literally means Jesus the Messiah or The Anointed One. Anti is the prefix for “against”, “opposite of”, or “in place of”. In Biblical terms, antichrist means against, opposite of, or in place of the Messiah, Jesus.
Many people are convinced that after the Rapture of the Church, the Antichrist is coming to make the world believe that he is the Messiah, the savior of the world. He will be a man of peace and move into position to lead the world. He will be so convincing and so deceiving that the entire world will follow after him and eventually will worship him as god. He will be either possessed by the devil or will know that he is the one to deceive the world into the worship of satan. Only those who are saved during the Tribulation period will recognize him and stand against him. They will be greatly persecuted and many killed during this time as the Antichrist moves against them. Eventually not all of the nations will believe him and will go to battle against him. He will cause the world to fall into great chaos and war leading up to the Second Coming of Jesus who will destroy him. This very basically summarizes the feeling of most towards the Antichrist. Is this the truth?
Antichrist in Scripture
The actual word antichrist is only found in the epistles of John in the New Testament. So let’s begin there. The first mention is in 1 John 2.
1 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. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
Here we have the Apostle John writing under the power of the Holy Spirit mention that the Antichrist is coming and even now many antichrists have come. It is interesting to note that many older translations of the Bible do not capitalize antichrist in verse 18. It is also interesting that he speaks of it in a plural form. Nevertheless, something called antichrist is coming yet is already come. In other words, something will fulfill what is already happening. Remember, we learn from the Bible that which has been is what shall be. We read that antichrist denies the Father and the Son. Jesus was quite clear about His relationship with the Father. He said in John 14: 9 …He who has seen Me has seen the Father. He many times spoke that He and the Father were One. In other words, you cannot believe in the Father and not believe in the Son. Many people like to do that. They want to profess God, but they also want to deny Jesus. When we talk about the cross and sin and repentance and belief and salvation through Jesus alone, this is why so many only want God. However, Jesus said the words He spoke were the Father’s. It is very clear from Scripture that to have One you must have the Other because they are One. John is speaking of people who were in the church, they went out from us, but rejected the truth. They went out to be manifest. Light separates darkness. Some people would rather choose the darkness. Those who love the truth are those who continue in the truth. The truth is taught to us from the Lord, by the Spirit of God and by His Word. No lie is of the truth. This lie is antichrist. The lie is the same today as it was then, and that is denying that Jesus is the Christ or Messiah or Anointed One. We have studied in the past that denying Jesus is more than just with our words like we saw Peter do before Jesus was crucified. We also deny Him by living a life that does not show His Lordship in our lives yet we continue to take His name. We, like many in the world, like having the security of believing in God, yet we do not want to live according to His Word. He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
1 John 4: 1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 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
Again, we read in 1 John about antichrist. Now, we are told a little more about it, and it is more than just people, now it is a spirit. Again, in the older translations, antichrist is not capitalized. Antichrist still denies or does not confess Jesus as coming in the flesh. This is very interesting. First, we are instructed to test the spirits. What spirits is he talking about? Many will say that this is speaking about the spiritual realm and evil spirits. This many be true, but I believe he is talking about the spirits of men as he speaks of the false prophets that are in the world. So we are taught to test those who profess themselves to be of Christ. What I find most interesting is that this is more of a spiritual understanding. Most Christians do confess that Jesus came in the flesh. Even false prophets will confess that. So what would this mean? I believe that those who confess Jesus coming in their flesh are done so by the Spirit of God. This means that those who have crucified the flesh, renounced the sin in their lives, and are truly following the Lord. Those are living and breathing the Word of God and it is manifested in their lives. God is working through them and in them. This is why we are to test the spirits, and we cannot test anything without putting into the mirror of the Word. The spirit of antichrist was coming and now is already in the world. It happened in the early church, and it certainly is happening today.
2 John 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
This verse speaks very similar to the previous one. This time however, he speaks of deceivers being antichrist. It is interesting that he speaks of them in a plural form. Remember this is John writing to the early church. This is not an epistle to the world, but to those who have put their faith in God and are establishing the early church. The deceivers are those who would influence believers into believing the deception. What would this mean? There is not one church that I know of who does not confess Jesus as coming in the flesh? So what does it mean? If there are churches, pastors, teachers, and the like that begin to water down the truth and not speak what the Bible says, could this be the answer? When men begin to build their own kingdoms on earth, and live like celebrities because of it, could this be the answer? I will let you judge, but as we said before, confessing Jesus coming in the flesh means that we must adhere to what the Bible says. We are not to pick and choose our doctrine, and we certainly are forbidden to add or take from the Word of God. Another interesting point in the warning Jesus gave in His answer regarding the His coming and the end of the age in Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13. Deception was the first thing out of his mouth. We know that only the truth can expose the deception, and it is the only way to see through it. Those who are deceived are actually taking part in the spirit of antichrist and do not realize it. Know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
So do any of these verses speak of a single person? Antichrist denies the Father and the Son, denies Jesus as coming in the flesh, is a deceiver, is a spirit, and a false prophet, and according to these verses, appears as more than an individual.
Antichrist Beast
In Revelation 13, lots of people will point to this passage as the Antichrist. Let’s read it and start from there.
Revelation 13: 1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 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. 3 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. 4 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?" 5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 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. 8 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. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
Revelation 13: 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed
1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name
John saw a beast, a spiritual entity with seven heads and ten horns that had ten crowns. On the seven heads was a blasphemous name. We know that the sea represents peoples, multitude, nations, and tongues (Revelation 17:15.) This beast is made up of these multitudes. On its head is a blasphemous name. The mark on the head represents the mind much like other things. The blasphemy comes from an unrenewed mind. The Bible says that the mind of the flesh or the carnal mind is enmity against God. Many will say this is the antichrist, but let’s continue on.
2 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
This beast is very similar in makeup to the four beasts that Daniel saw in Daniel 7. Daniel saw four beasts coming out of the sea as well and dominion was given to all of them. This verse clearly says where earthly authority comes from. The dragon is identified in Revelation 12 as the devil. The first beast Daniel saw was like a lion with eagle’s wings that lost its wings and given a man’s heart. The second was like a bear raised up on one side with 3 ribs in its mouth. The third was a four headed leopard with four wings. The fourth beast was a ten horned beast with iron teeth and exceedingly strong. Of the ten horns, three were plucked out, and a little horn came up from among them with eyes like a man speaking great things or pompous words. This little horn many will say is the antichrist as well. It is very interesting that what John saw was the same as what Daniel saw, but the four beasts were made into a single one. Daniel’s beasts were interpreted. Daniel 7: 17 'Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth.
3 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.
The seven heads represent the seven ruling empires of this age (Revelation 17:10). Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persian, Greece, Rome, and what is coming is another form of the Roman Empire which is the dragon kingdom of Revelation (see also the image Nebuchadnezzar saw in Daniel 2). The first six have all ruled the world to this present day. The Roman Empire has not stopped since the days Jesus. Yes, physically it has, but in principle and perhaps most importantly, spiritually, it has continued on through the leaders of the world since. America is perhaps no greater example as the similarities between the two are almost surreal. The ten horns on the heads represents ten kings when will reign with the beast (Revelation 17:12.) I believe this to be divisions of the world that unite under the headship of the beast. The healing of a deadly wound mimics the Resurrection of Jesus. The reason there are seven heads in this beast is that the seed of all these empires remain in the earth today. It represents the entire world, all humanity. The mortal wound is not to an individual but to a kingdom which we shall see will have authority over the world. It is not hard to be able to see that when the world is in crisis it is looking for others in the world to help. The world will marvel and follow when the beast claims it has all the answers and will make a new and better world which is taking us back to the beginning. We are going back to Genesis and the land of Shinar when the whole world was in one accord and of one language trying to make a name for itself. This is a spiritual beast representing a physical body. The deadly wound is on one of the heads. We read in chapter 17 that 8 the beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go to perdition and 11 the beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going into perdition. Again, this is speaking of a spiritual head of the beast. The spirit that controlled the ruling empire will be released again from the bottomless pit and allowed to rule as the final and eighth kingdom that leads to the return of the Lord.
4 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?"
The Bible says 1 John 5: 19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. The world worships the dragon even if they do not realize they are doing it. We you are serving the old man, serving self, when you have not believed in the atoning work of Jesus; you are a servant of sin. The wages being death and separation from God and this is the worship of the dragon. Jesus told the religious authorities and the Jews John 8:44 You are of your father the devil and the desires of your father you want to do. They were thinking, speaking, and acting carnally. He was trying to show and tell them the truth, but the majority would not listen. Spiritually, the worship of the beast is very easy to do when you are already worshipping the dragon. Physically, the beast will encompass the entire world in a single entity. That is why the Scripture reads no one is like the beast and no one can make war with him.
Scripture teaches that there are only two bodies in this world. One is the body of Christ, the other is the body of antichrist. Both are made up of many peoples from many nations. Jesus is the head of His body, the church, and the dragon, or the devil, is the head of the body of lost humanity, the world.
more to come.......
