ANTICHRIST
Question: "Who is the antichrist?"
Answer: There is much speculation about the identity of the Antichrist. Some of the more popular targets are Vladimir Putin, Prince William, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Pope Francis I. In the United States, former President Barack Obama and current President Donald Trump are the most frequent targets. So, who is the Antichrist, and how will we recognize him?
The Bible really does not say anything specific about where the Antichrist will come from. Many Bible scholars speculate that he will come from a confederacy of ten nations and/or a reborn Roman empire (Daniel 7:24-25; Revelation 17:7). Others see him as having to be a Jew in order to claim to be the Messiah. It is all just speculation since the Bible does not specifically say where the Antichrist will come from or what race he will be. One day, the Antichrist will be revealed. Second Thessalonians 2:3-4 tells us how we will recognize the Antichrist: “Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”
It is likely that most people who are alive when the Antichrist is revealed will be very surprised at his identity. The Antichrist may or may not be alive today. Martin Luther was convinced that the pope in his time was the Antichrist. During the 1940’s, many believed Adolph Hitler was the Antichrist. Others who have lived in the past few hundred years have been equally sure as to the identity of the Antichrist. So far, they have all been incorrect. We should put the speculations behind us and focus on what the Bible actually says about the Antichrist. Revelation 13:5-8 declares, “The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.”
The Antichrist has long been a biblical character that people want to learn more about. Throughout the years, many people have tried to predict who it is going to be, or even who it is currently. From people guessing it’s President Obama, political figures, etc. it’s clear that many people have some false thoughts about the Antichrist. So, just who is this mysterious and evil Bible character? Here are 7 important bible verses about the Antichrist.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 “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 worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”
With these two verses, volumes are taught about the Antichrist. Most obviously, it is clear that he is not an admirable or trustworthy person. All of this is happening in a time of deception. He’s described as a man of sin (which, in case you didn’t realize, is bad!) who takes people away from worshiping the true God and makes them worship him instead (pretending to be God).
Daniel 7:25 “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.”
Even if you don’t understand this verse fully, you still get the point; there’s bad stuff going on! You get the feeling that the Antichrist is one that is pretty good with words and is able to persuade people to do whatever he wants. He’s persecuting those who believe in the true God and he’s trying to change laws for his own benefit.
Revelation 13:3 “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.”
At some point, it appears that the Antichrist suffers some type of deadly wound and appears to be raised from the dead. Perhaps it’s not an actual raising from the dead, but the point is he was severely hurt, to the brink of death, and was able to recover, which gains him widespread fame and a huge following.
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.”
Although the Antichrist will be utterly horrendous, this verse speaks of antichrists that have already been here; they are a foreshadowing, so to speak, of what is to come. Some people have given names like Hitler and Stalin as these mini-antichrists who foreshadow an even more evil man, the Antichrist.
1 John 2:22 “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.”
Here, it is clear that the Antichrist will deny Jesus Christ and the Father and being legitimate. Instead, as we learned in other verses, he will make people worship him as God.
17 Quotes About The Love Of God
Revelation 13:5 “And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.”
Once again, he will be a person who can speak quite eloquently. However, something here seems to suggest that he’s not the ultimate one in power. Consider that it says “he was given authority.” This, of course, implies that he was not acting alone and in his own power!
Bible verses about the antichrist
Daniel 7:24 “The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; he shall be different from the first ones, and shall subdue three kings.”
Apparently, he is smart and powerful enough to subdue three different kingdoms. Also, consider the fact that the kings that were mentioned were not puny at all; they were actually quite powerful. But, the Antichrist will be far more powerful!
Conclusion
Despite people really hoping (for some odd reason) that the antichrist is Obama, George Bush, or even the Pope, the biblical text never reveals the actual name of the person. The Scriptures paint a picture as to what he will be like and what the time in which he comes to power will be like. So, it’s important to get any knowledge of the antichrist straight from the source—The Word of God.
Article By Michael Krauzer
Re 13:1 and he stood upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns, and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and great authority.
3 And I saw one of his heads as though it had been smitten unto death; and his death-stroke was healed: and the whole earth wondered after the beast;
4 and they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? And who is able to war with him?
5 and there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given to him authority to continue forty and two months.
6 And he opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, even them that dwell in the heaven.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and there was given to him authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.
8 And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that hath been slain.
9 If any man hath an ear, let him hear.
10 If any man is for captivity, into captivity he goeth: if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
(ASV)
http://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/the-rise-of-the-antichrist.html
He will be appealing, not repulsive. The Bible refers to the Antichrist as a blasphemous horn (Daniel 7:24-25), as lawless (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4), and a beast (Revelation 13:1-2) hardly an attractive list of descriptions, but we know that people will follow him (Revelation 13:3), so he will present himself as an alluring leader – at first. He will be super, not ordinary; everything about the Antichrist will be extraordinary. He will possess great eloquence, charm, wit, military genius, vision, and intelligence. He will be extremely influential, charismatic, a false champion of peace, and will possess strong leadership abilities. One could even say he’s a rock star.
Daniel 8:23-24 tells us that the Antichrist is a king with fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences [which means He will be deeply involved with occult mysteries]. He will be filled with satanic power (and later become possessed by satan).
He will be a gentile, not a Jew. The Bible tells us that the Antichrist will arise out of “the sea” (Daniel 7:2-3, Revelation 13:1) indicating that he will arise out of the gentile nations, not Israel.
The Antichrist will have an amazing rise to power but he won’t instantly take his position as the world dictator from out of nowhere. He will not be an ordinary man walking down the street one day and the next day dictator of the world; rather, he will grow into power like a horn growing out of the head of an animal (Daniel 7:7-8). He will take over the revived Roman Empire which, in its final form, will be a European lead confederation of nations. We see this taking shape right now with the European Union (EU). We also know that at some point after or at the midway point of Tribulation, the Antichrist will move the capital of this one world government from Europe to Jerusalem (Daniel 11:4).
We will later pursue the events of those end times right up to that 200 million man army we have standing by to provide an end to the Earth's story of living in lawlessness. You have all the biblical listings made by much better authorities than I am. What I want to do here is to pursue the nature of that man and where some of his qualifications may come in.
I start with columnist Sydney J. Harris who was amusing and insightful in his humanistic news columns that I recall reading often in the Detroit Free Press through much of my early adulthood. He passed away in 1986. The column was found in Salem Kirban's book Satan's Mark Exposed and copied from the link below plus the material added below from the article:
http://first-thoughts.org/on/Sydney+J.+Harris/
I found looking up that quote was very hard for me. I don't mean emotionally; it was just very difficult to get a search engine to spit it out. I found the one who downloaded the first section of the quote by going to Ask and then the source said she found the whole column in Google back in 2012. Now, it won't come up on Google at all for me. And Ask only had that partial. The longer search engines exist the more they are swamped by foolishness and the idea of making the sites who get the most hits the top in their lists. And sly merchants get folks to hit their sites so they will pop up. The idea is that the most popular sites MUST be the ones we are searching for, when often we who research have to go twelve pages in to find the item we were really searching for. It is a strange and awful example of the antichrist ideas in action: popularity determines being heard. In it's own way, it gives us a taste of antichristian thinking: Where the truth is often unpopular, the lie or the smokescreen is always available and seems right.
We Christians get caught up in striving to change the world to see our way, to make the political change we see as the answer to life and then we discover the world has somehow swallowed us up in the idea that it can be changed without Christ inhabiting the people who need to be changed. We don't realize we can't even change a heart AFTER Jesus has inhabited it. It is Jesus, the Holy Spirit, that does the changing.
But the Antichrist will always tell the comforting lie and tell everyone they don't have to change. Or thart their change can come through personal power that they can be more than they are by meditation, thinking correctly, following the right cause. That they are just wonderful as they are and that they can make themselves someone who matters to the world, It will mean following him and doing as he says and forcing others to do as he says and...
But that sounds like Christians or at least how they are painted in the media.
Let me state clearly again before I go on with an example of what I am writing about: I don't see Mr. Trump as the Antichrist. But I believe that President Trump, like many leaders today only more loudly publicly, reflects those notions of telling people what he has found they like to hear in his extensive self sales career on TV, as a real estate reseller, and as a Twitter celeb. Do you have any idea how ridiculous that last one sounds? Social media celebrity seems to be the definition of prep for being the Antichrist. The one seeking it chases rabidly after it with every attempt to please the most people in the quickest time with the lightest of quotes. The need to state one's case in a few letters means that case must be reduced to the most visceral and often most hateful level. I've succumbed to the allure of that a few times myself and always feel I could have made my case, whatever the case was at the time, more precisely given less restrictions on space and more options on content.
But the limits mean that someone like Mr Trump can state an overly simplistic case, as Harris suggested the worst part of our nature craves, and then restrict access to anyone who offers counterpoint, making it his perfect stage for outrage without counter. Worse, someone offering reply on their own Twitter page is limited by the restrictions of the medium in offering a reasoned response. The President has mastered that medium by getting in the opening shot and therefore seeming to have the higher ground which must be attacked rather than to lowest possible ground which can be trampled when faced with reality.
Like Trump, the Antichrist will issue broad sweeping claims of patriotism to his EU however it may be formed. He will use the Brexit deal as an example of treason to the Union and make non Members into Demons. The anti Muslim fear will enable purging and ethnic cleansing. The fear of Muslims will generate the fear of any "fundamentalist" group since they will all be viewed as the same, ones preaching their religion is better than the next guys. Like Trump, he will very openly preach bigotry as discretion. Hatred will offer the logical simple solution to the problem of different thinking. There are those who preach a Muslim Antichrist though that would not fit the requirement that he come from the country that destroyed the Temple. It fits no better than the notion of a Jewish Antichrist. Both are based on religious error and not Bible research.
A list of some ways in which he will mimic Christ, taken from The Truth Behind Left Behind by Mark Hitchcock and Thomas Ice:
1) He will produce signs and wonders.
Mt 24:24 For there will come up false Christs, and false prophets, who will do great signs and wonders; so that if possible even the saints might be tricked.
25 See, I have made it clear to you before it comes about.
(BBE)
2Th 2:9 Even the one whose coming is marked by the working of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,
(BBE)
2) He sits in the tribulation Temple:
2Th 2:4 Who puts himself against all authority, lifting himself up over all which is named God or is given worship; so that he takes his seat in the Temple of God, putting himself forward as God.
(BBE)
3) Claims to be God (See above)
4) Makes a peace covenant with Israel
Da 9:27 And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease; and upon the wing of abominations shall come one that maketh desolate; and even unto the full end, and that determined, shall wrath be poured out upon the desolate.
(ASV)
5) While Jesus causes men to worship God, Antichrist will cause them to worship Satan:
Re 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as though it had been smitten unto death; and his death-stroke was healed: and the whole earth wondered after the beast;
4 and they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? And who is able to war with him?
(ASV)
6) As Jesus seals his witnesses, the Beast requires a seal on the forehead or hand:
Re 13:16 And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead;
17 and that no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that hath the mark, even the name of the beast or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty and six.
(ASV)
7) Jesus has a worthy name while the Beast has a blasphemous name.
Re 13:1 and he stood upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns, and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy.
(ASV)
8) He will be called a king also
Da 11:36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods; and he shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished; for that which is determined shall be done.
(ASV)
9) He rides a white or pale horse as opposed to the white one Jesus will ride:
Re 6:2 And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown: and he came forth conquering, and to conquer.
(ASV)
10) He will be part of and Anti-Trinity: Satan, Antichrist, False Prophet.
Re 13:1 and he stood upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns, and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and great authority.
3 And I saw one of his heads as though it had been smitten unto death; and his death-stroke was healed: and the whole earth wondered after the beast;
4 and they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? And who is able to war with him?
5 and there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given to him authority to continue forty and two months.
6 And he opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, even them that dwell in the heaven.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and there was given to him authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.
8 And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that hath been slain.
9 If any man hath an ear, let him hear.
10 If any man is for captivity, into captivity he goeth: if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
11 And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like unto lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 And he exerciseth all the authority of the first beast in his sight. And he maketh the earth and them dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose death-stroke was healed.
13 And he doeth great signs, that he should even make fire to come down out of heaven upon the earth in the sight of men.
14 And he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by reason of the signs which it was given him to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who hath the stroke of the sword and lived.
15 And it was given unto him to give breath to it, even to the image to the breast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead;
17 and that no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that hath the mark, even the name of the beast or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty and six.
(ASV)
There are other characteristics the most prominent being a violent death (verse 3) and resurrection (also verse 3, 14) and that both have armies (Rev 19. Jesus in verse 14, AC in verse 19).
http://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/the-rise-of-the-antichrist.html for further references.
While he is a politician and seems to have a kingdom, I suspect he has also been in the financial sector like the World Bank or the IMF since they could bring financial pressures to bend countries to doing his will as we've spent extensive time examining and it would give him full knowledge of how to initiate the whole system of the mark needed to do business.
He will have some training in subliminal and subaudial advertising for the manipulation of the subconscious mind. Like Putin, he may have a service history in the security part of government. If not, he will surely have friends or relations with such connections. It will enable the impositions of some of the stricter rules the Bible suggests over a massive jumble of borders and governments of the ten "horns."
One thing related to his identity: I suspect he doesn't even know who he is. There are so many people who currently have been mislead to believe some form of New Age teaching that the list of those believing they are God is probably longer than all the posts I've made over the last few years. So the antihero here could be masked by a legion of wannabes.
But the thing to remember as we pursue the story of evil coming to power is that it won't last. There will be converts as the 144, 000 demonstrate and the fact the Bible tells that they will convert others. Only 7 years of that subjugation. All those terrors brought on by the power of sin unleashed by the Holy Spirit removing the restraint.
But the further good news comes later in Revelation:
Re 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven, Come and be gathered together unto the great supper of God;
Our fallen flesh. The fallen flesh left on Earth that rose in open rebellion lying crushed on the ground, killed in a moment, all those folks thinking they are little gods, all thinking they would take over the world and make it run their way, the "right" way. All nothing but bird food. Disposed of in an instant by the power of the true Word. Even that Beast and his buddy.
Revelation 3:20–4:1
"There are going to be some churches which will meet the next Sunday after the Rapture, and they won't be missing a member-they will all be there."
–Dr. George Gill
–Dr. George Gill
Re 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
(KJV)
This is seen as a Rapture-before-the-Tribulation proof. But it offers a transition into the discussion of one of the big personalities in the End times who appears not long AFTER the Rapture:
Question: "Who is the antichrist?"
Answer: There is much speculation about the identity of the Antichrist. Some of the more popular targets are Vladimir Putin, Prince William, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Pope Francis I. In the United States, former President Barack Obama and current President Donald Trump are the most frequent targets. So, who is the Antichrist, and how will we recognize him?
The Bible really does not say anything specific about where the Antichrist will come from. Many Bible scholars speculate that he will come from a confederacy of ten nations and/or a reborn Roman empire (Daniel 7:24-25; Revelation 17:7). Others see him as having to be a Jew in order to claim to be the Messiah. It is all just speculation since the Bible does not specifically say where the Antichrist will come from or what race he will be. One day, the Antichrist will be revealed. Second Thessalonians 2:3-4 tells us how we will recognize the Antichrist: “Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”
It is likely that most people who are alive when the Antichrist is revealed will be very surprised at his identity. The Antichrist may or may not be alive today. Martin Luther was convinced that the pope in his time was the Antichrist. During the 1940’s, many believed Adolph Hitler was the Antichrist. Others who have lived in the past few hundred years have been equally sure as to the identity of the Antichrist. So far, they have all been incorrect. We should put the speculations behind us and focus on what the Bible actually says about the Antichrist. Revelation 13:5-8 declares, “The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.”
The Antichrist has long been a biblical character that people want to learn more about. Throughout the years, many people have tried to predict who it is going to be, or even who it is currently. From people guessing it’s President Obama, political figures, etc. it’s clear that many people have some false thoughts about the Antichrist. So, just who is this mysterious and evil Bible character? Here are 7 important bible verses about the Antichrist.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 “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 worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”
With these two verses, volumes are taught about the Antichrist. Most obviously, it is clear that he is not an admirable or trustworthy person. All of this is happening in a time of deception. He’s described as a man of sin (which, in case you didn’t realize, is bad!) who takes people away from worshiping the true God and makes them worship him instead (pretending to be God).
Daniel 7:25 “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.”
Even if you don’t understand this verse fully, you still get the point; there’s bad stuff going on! You get the feeling that the Antichrist is one that is pretty good with words and is able to persuade people to do whatever he wants. He’s persecuting those who believe in the true God and he’s trying to change laws for his own benefit.
Revelation 13:3 “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.”
At some point, it appears that the Antichrist suffers some type of deadly wound and appears to be raised from the dead. Perhaps it’s not an actual raising from the dead, but the point is he was severely hurt, to the brink of death, and was able to recover, which gains him widespread fame and a huge following.
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.”
Although the Antichrist will be utterly horrendous, this verse speaks of antichrists that have already been here; they are a foreshadowing, so to speak, of what is to come. Some people have given names like Hitler and Stalin as these mini-antichrists who foreshadow an even more evil man, the Antichrist.
1 John 2:22 “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.”
Here, it is clear that the Antichrist will deny Jesus Christ and the Father and being legitimate. Instead, as we learned in other verses, he will make people worship him as God.
17 Quotes About The Love Of God
Revelation 13:5 “And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.”
Once again, he will be a person who can speak quite eloquently. However, something here seems to suggest that he’s not the ultimate one in power. Consider that it says “he was given authority.” This, of course, implies that he was not acting alone and in his own power!
Bible verses about the antichrist
Daniel 7:24 “The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; he shall be different from the first ones, and shall subdue three kings.”
Apparently, he is smart and powerful enough to subdue three different kingdoms. Also, consider the fact that the kings that were mentioned were not puny at all; they were actually quite powerful. But, the Antichrist will be far more powerful!
Conclusion
Despite people really hoping (for some odd reason) that the antichrist is Obama, George Bush, or even the Pope, the biblical text never reveals the actual name of the person. The Scriptures paint a picture as to what he will be like and what the time in which he comes to power will be like. So, it’s important to get any knowledge of the antichrist straight from the source—The Word of God.
Article By Michael Krauzer
Re 13:1 and he stood upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns, and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and great authority.
3 And I saw one of his heads as though it had been smitten unto death; and his death-stroke was healed: and the whole earth wondered after the beast;
4 and they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? And who is able to war with him?
5 and there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given to him authority to continue forty and two months.
6 And he opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, even them that dwell in the heaven.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and there was given to him authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.
8 And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that hath been slain.
9 If any man hath an ear, let him hear.
10 If any man is for captivity, into captivity he goeth: if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
(ASV)
http://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/the-rise-of-the-antichrist.html
I saw a beast rising out of the sea (13:1): Revelation pictures the antichrist as a beast 32 times. The image points to the brutal, bloody, uncontrolled, and wild character of this diabolical dictator. It also contrasts the antichrist from Christ, who is most commonly called the Lamb. The Lamb saves sinners, but the beast persecutes and executes the saints. The Lamb is gentle, whereas the beast is ferocious. The Lamb is loving, but the beast is heartless and cruel.
This beast rises out of the sea. The sea refers to the Gentile nations (Revelation 17:15), indicating that the antichrist will be a Gentile. “Anti” can mean “instead of ” or “against” or “opposed to.” So “antichrist” can mean “instead of Christ,” “against Christ,” or “opposed to Christ.” The antichrist is the “man of lawlessness,” the “son of destruction,” who will lead the world into rebellion against God and deceive multitudes (Revelation 19:20).
2Th 2:3 let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,
4 he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming;
9 even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
(ASV)
The Antichrist
What we know about him
On the heels of problems the world is experiencing with the removal of millions of Christ’s followers from the Earth (The Rapture) the world will have an extremely urgent need for stability and for all individuals to band together as one political, social, spiritual, and economical force. As early as 2008, we have been witness to open and public calls from world leaders for a global system to combat the world’s economical problems. After the Rapture, the world’s economies will crash if they haven’t already. Mass chaos will rule in almost every aspect of life. This will be an unbelievable time of strife and fear that the world has never seen. The Antichrist, along with the False Prophet, will take control over the entire world and seem to have all the answers.
(While the Antichrist may claim to be God, his other half, the False Prophet will likely preach him as the epitome of that aim for personal godhood for everyone. We'l continue that discussion next time, but one place for a deeper study of the "new" religions is here https://mythmisunderstanding.blogspot.com/. W)
(While the Antichrist may claim to be God, his other half, the False Prophet will likely preach him as the epitome of that aim for personal godhood for everyone. We'l continue that discussion next time, but one place for a deeper study of the "new" religions is here https://mythmisunderstanding.blogspot.com/. W)
Speculation as to the identity of the Antichrist has been going on for a long time. People have mistakenly accused many individuals of being the Antichrist; such as Adolph Hitler, Nero, Joseph Stalin, Pol Pot, and Caesar just to name a few. While these people were certainly evil and are most likely now in Hell awaiting the Great White Throne Judgment, these tyrants were not the Antichrist that is spoken of in The Holy Bible. We know this for a certainty because of God’s own words. We know that very shortly after the Rapture, the Antichrist will be unveiled. Not that he isn’t somewhere on the scene right now but after the Rapture occurs, he will then assume his final role as world dictator and those who become believers after the Rapture and are biblically aware will be able to recognize him for who he is. Speculation as to his identity will only be speculation until then. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12)
What we know about the Antichrist as a person
Even though the Bible does not tell us exactly who the Antichrist is, the Scriptures are very clear on what traits and characteristics he will possess, when he will come onto the world stage, and what he will do once he takes power.
(Daniel 9:26) Daniel tells us that he will either rise out of the old Roman Empire or his lineage will be that from the area of the old Roman Empire. The “Prince that shall come” will come out of “The people” who “shall destroy the city”. Since it was Rome and its legions that destroyed Jerusalem in AD 70, it logically follows that the “prince that shall come” must come out of the Roman Empire and people.
...
Notice in Daniel’s description 7:8 “and three of the first horns were uprooted before it”. This could either be referring to a bloody conflict that will destroy three nations or regions of this confederacy that opposes the Antichrist’s taking over of power but more likely it is referring to the removal (assassination) of the leaders of three regions in this confederacy who opposes the Antichrist’s taking over the confederacy (global government).
Charles Swindoll
"While Daniel pondered the vision of the ten future kings (Nebuchadnezzar’s dream) (Daniel 7:8), he saw something new, that a “little horn” (an eleventh king, a man) will rise up among the nations of the original ten kings. The “little horn” (the Antichrist) will subdue three of the ten kings and destroy their political power. The seven surviving kings of the original 10 nations will submit to the domination of the “little horn”. This earthly leader will then begin his role as Antichrist and world dictator."
John’s vision of a great beast arising from the gentile nations (Revelation 13:1-4) mirrors Daniel’s vision (Daniel 7:2-8). John saw seven heads, probably corresponding to the original ten leaders Daniel saw, including the three that had been “pulled out by the roots” by the Antichrist (Daniel 7:8). The ten crowns represent governments and governmental authority (Revelation 13:1). The horn that arose from the midst of the ten and deposed three is a single individual – “he will speak out” (Daniel 7:25). He is named the Antichrist. By exalting himself, he will blaspheme God (2 Thessalonians 2:4). He will oppress God’s people. He will attempt to change the moral and natural laws.
Once in power, he will blaspheme God and persecute the saints (Daniel 7:25). Daniel 8:24-25 describes this clearly:
"His power will be mighty, but not by his own power,
And he will destroy to an extraordinary degree
And prosper and perform his will;
He will destroy mighty men and the holy people.
"And through his shrewdness
He will cause deceit to succeed by his influence;
And he will magnify himself in his heart,
And he will destroy many while they are at ease.
He will even oppose the Prince of princes,
But he will be broken without human agency.
When he takes his final place as world dictator after the Rapture, He will rule in the first three and a half years as a messiah type figure. After his assassination and satanic resurrection, he will then rule as a God (not that he will be, but that will be how he demands to be treated).
After the Antichrist takes the reins of power, the events of the last days will unfold and conclude with the return of Christ to set up His kingdom.
We will later pursue the events of those end times right up to that 200 million man army we have standing by to provide an end to the Earth's story of living in lawlessness. You have all the biblical listings made by much better authorities than I am. What I want to do here is to pursue the nature of that man and where some of his qualifications may come in.
I start with columnist Sydney J. Harris who was amusing and insightful in his humanistic news columns that I recall reading often in the Detroit Free Press through much of my early adulthood. He passed away in 1986. The column was found in Salem Kirban's book Satan's Mark Exposed and copied from the link below plus the material added below from the article:
http://first-thoughts.org/on/Sydney+J.+Harris/
WHY MAN PREFERS A FALSE LEADER: WE FEEL BETTER By Sydney J. Harris People keep saying, “We need a leader” or We need better leadership,” but that is not what they really mean. What most of them are looking for is not a leader, but a Messiah. They want someone to give them the Word. And the word would be one that is agreeable to them, that appeals to their preferences and prejudices, so that they can follow it wholeheartedly. But this is not what a true leader does—a leader tells people hard truths, gives them a different path to follow, calls upon their highest qualities, not their basest instincts. A true leader does not tell us what we want to hear, but what we ought to hear. Indeed, this is the difference between a false Messiah and a true one...
"What we are looking for, I am afraid is neither a true leader nor a true Messiah but a false Messiah-a man who will give us over-simplified answers. who will justify our way, who will castigate our enemies, who will vindicate our selfishness as a way of life and make us comfortable...
I found looking up that quote was very hard for me. I don't mean emotionally; it was just very difficult to get a search engine to spit it out. I found the one who downloaded the first section of the quote by going to Ask and then the source said she found the whole column in Google back in 2012. Now, it won't come up on Google at all for me. And Ask only had that partial. The longer search engines exist the more they are swamped by foolishness and the idea of making the sites who get the most hits the top in their lists. And sly merchants get folks to hit their sites so they will pop up. The idea is that the most popular sites MUST be the ones we are searching for, when often we who research have to go twelve pages in to find the item we were really searching for. It is a strange and awful example of the antichrist ideas in action: popularity determines being heard. In it's own way, it gives us a taste of antichristian thinking: Where the truth is often unpopular, the lie or the smokescreen is always available and seems right.
We Christians get caught up in striving to change the world to see our way, to make the political change we see as the answer to life and then we discover the world has somehow swallowed us up in the idea that it can be changed without Christ inhabiting the people who need to be changed. We don't realize we can't even change a heart AFTER Jesus has inhabited it. It is Jesus, the Holy Spirit, that does the changing.
But the Antichrist will always tell the comforting lie and tell everyone they don't have to change. Or thart their change can come through personal power that they can be more than they are by meditation, thinking correctly, following the right cause. That they are just wonderful as they are and that they can make themselves someone who matters to the world, It will mean following him and doing as he says and forcing others to do as he says and...
But that sounds like Christians or at least how they are painted in the media.
Let me state clearly again before I go on with an example of what I am writing about: I don't see Mr. Trump as the Antichrist. But I believe that President Trump, like many leaders today only more loudly publicly, reflects those notions of telling people what he has found they like to hear in his extensive self sales career on TV, as a real estate reseller, and as a Twitter celeb. Do you have any idea how ridiculous that last one sounds? Social media celebrity seems to be the definition of prep for being the Antichrist. The one seeking it chases rabidly after it with every attempt to please the most people in the quickest time with the lightest of quotes. The need to state one's case in a few letters means that case must be reduced to the most visceral and often most hateful level. I've succumbed to the allure of that a few times myself and always feel I could have made my case, whatever the case was at the time, more precisely given less restrictions on space and more options on content.
But the limits mean that someone like Mr Trump can state an overly simplistic case, as Harris suggested the worst part of our nature craves, and then restrict access to anyone who offers counterpoint, making it his perfect stage for outrage without counter. Worse, someone offering reply on their own Twitter page is limited by the restrictions of the medium in offering a reasoned response. The President has mastered that medium by getting in the opening shot and therefore seeming to have the higher ground which must be attacked rather than to lowest possible ground which can be trampled when faced with reality.
Like Trump, the Antichrist will issue broad sweeping claims of patriotism to his EU however it may be formed. He will use the Brexit deal as an example of treason to the Union and make non Members into Demons. The anti Muslim fear will enable purging and ethnic cleansing. The fear of Muslims will generate the fear of any "fundamentalist" group since they will all be viewed as the same, ones preaching their religion is better than the next guys. Like Trump, he will very openly preach bigotry as discretion. Hatred will offer the logical simple solution to the problem of different thinking. There are those who preach a Muslim Antichrist though that would not fit the requirement that he come from the country that destroyed the Temple. It fits no better than the notion of a Jewish Antichrist. Both are based on religious error and not Bible research.
A list of some ways in which he will mimic Christ, taken from The Truth Behind Left Behind by Mark Hitchcock and Thomas Ice:
1) He will produce signs and wonders.
Mt 24:24 For there will come up false Christs, and false prophets, who will do great signs and wonders; so that if possible even the saints might be tricked.
25 See, I have made it clear to you before it comes about.
(BBE)
2Th 2:9 Even the one whose coming is marked by the working of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,
(BBE)
2) He sits in the tribulation Temple:
2Th 2:4 Who puts himself against all authority, lifting himself up over all which is named God or is given worship; so that he takes his seat in the Temple of God, putting himself forward as God.
(BBE)
3) Claims to be God (See above)
4) Makes a peace covenant with Israel
Da 9:27 And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease; and upon the wing of abominations shall come one that maketh desolate; and even unto the full end, and that determined, shall wrath be poured out upon the desolate.
(ASV)
5) While Jesus causes men to worship God, Antichrist will cause them to worship Satan:
Re 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as though it had been smitten unto death; and his death-stroke was healed: and the whole earth wondered after the beast;
4 and they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? And who is able to war with him?
(ASV)
6) As Jesus seals his witnesses, the Beast requires a seal on the forehead or hand:
Re 13:16 And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead;
17 and that no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that hath the mark, even the name of the beast or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty and six.
(ASV)
7) Jesus has a worthy name while the Beast has a blasphemous name.
Re 13:1 and he stood upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns, and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy.
(ASV)
8) He will be called a king also
Da 11:36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods; and he shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished; for that which is determined shall be done.
(ASV)
9) He rides a white or pale horse as opposed to the white one Jesus will ride:
Re 6:2 And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown: and he came forth conquering, and to conquer.
(ASV)
10) He will be part of and Anti-Trinity: Satan, Antichrist, False Prophet.
Re 13:1 and he stood upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns, and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and great authority.
3 And I saw one of his heads as though it had been smitten unto death; and his death-stroke was healed: and the whole earth wondered after the beast;
4 and they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? And who is able to war with him?
5 and there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given to him authority to continue forty and two months.
6 And he opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, even them that dwell in the heaven.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and there was given to him authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.
8 And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that hath been slain.
9 If any man hath an ear, let him hear.
10 If any man is for captivity, into captivity he goeth: if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
11 And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like unto lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 And he exerciseth all the authority of the first beast in his sight. And he maketh the earth and them dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose death-stroke was healed.
13 And he doeth great signs, that he should even make fire to come down out of heaven upon the earth in the sight of men.
14 And he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by reason of the signs which it was given him to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who hath the stroke of the sword and lived.
15 And it was given unto him to give breath to it, even to the image to the breast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead;
17 and that no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that hath the mark, even the name of the beast or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty and six.
(ASV)
There are other characteristics the most prominent being a violent death (verse 3) and resurrection (also verse 3, 14) and that both have armies (Rev 19. Jesus in verse 14, AC in verse 19).
http://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/the-rise-of-the-antichrist.html for further references.
While he is a politician and seems to have a kingdom, I suspect he has also been in the financial sector like the World Bank or the IMF since they could bring financial pressures to bend countries to doing his will as we've spent extensive time examining and it would give him full knowledge of how to initiate the whole system of the mark needed to do business.
He will have some training in subliminal and subaudial advertising for the manipulation of the subconscious mind. Like Putin, he may have a service history in the security part of government. If not, he will surely have friends or relations with such connections. It will enable the impositions of some of the stricter rules the Bible suggests over a massive jumble of borders and governments of the ten "horns."
One thing related to his identity: I suspect he doesn't even know who he is. There are so many people who currently have been mislead to believe some form of New Age teaching that the list of those believing they are God is probably longer than all the posts I've made over the last few years. So the antihero here could be masked by a legion of wannabes.
But the thing to remember as we pursue the story of evil coming to power is that it won't last. There will be converts as the 144, 000 demonstrate and the fact the Bible tells that they will convert others. Only 7 years of that subjugation. All those terrors brought on by the power of sin unleashed by the Holy Spirit removing the restraint.
But the further good news comes later in Revelation:
Re 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven, Come and be gathered together unto the great supper of God;
18 that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of them that sit thereon, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, and small and great.
19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army.
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs in his sight, wherewith he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image: they two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone:
21 and the rest were killed with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, even the sword which came forth out of his mouth: and all the birds were filled with their flesh.
(ASV)
Our fallen flesh. The fallen flesh left on Earth that rose in open rebellion lying crushed on the ground, killed in a moment, all those folks thinking they are little gods, all thinking they would take over the world and make it run their way, the "right" way. All nothing but bird food. Disposed of in an instant by the power of the true Word. Even that Beast and his buddy.
Yes, he has a partner we need to discuss, even more than him, the one that gets kind of ignored, pushed to the background: the False Prophet. Ignored by us yet doomed to face the same eternal fate as the Antichrist.
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