Antichrist(s)

[Soldier4Christ]

I think that this is a very good time to look at and to discuss what the word antichrist means. It is used most often in regards to the Beast of Revelations 19, the man of sin and the Son of Perdition in 2Th 2  and the Wicked in Daniel 7 as The AntiChrist but it has more meaning than this in scriptures. Let's take a look at the verses that specifically mention the word antichrist(s).

1Jn 2:18  Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
1Jn 2:19  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
1Jn 2:20  But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
1Jn 2:21  I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
1Jn 2:22  Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

 1Jn 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

2Jn 1:7  For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
2Jn 1:8  Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
2Jn 1:9  Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.


The Greek word for antichrist, anticristos, is derived from tow Greek words, "anti" meaning opposite, against, or instead of and of course the word "Cristos" meaning the Messiah.  This is telling us quite specifically that the antichrist will be someone that is against Christ or puts themselves in the place of Christ. In the aspect of "The AntiChrist" he will in fact set himself up claiming to be Jesus Christ, God.

Antichrists in the plural form, is also used in 1John 2:18 above, so we see that there will be many not just one that will be considered antichrist. All of these people will either oppose Jesus Christ or portend to be Him. As we are told in the other various verses posted above these antichrists will deny that Jesus came to us in the flesh. This is to say that Jesus is not God. (John 1:1-14 )

We also see in 2John 1:9 that those that do not abide, that is to say do not follow, in the doctrines of Jesus Christ is also antichrist. (note that is plural meaning ALL OF HIS DOCTRINES  )

I would also like to bring to attention 1Jn 2:19 . Note here it tells us about those that have claimed to be Christian that left the doctrines of Jesus Christ, "They went out from us". These are not true Christians "for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out".

Why is this so important? Because we can plainly see from this that not only the Beast is anti-christ but so are many others and we must be on the look out for those that wish to deceive us and to lead us away from His word. It is especially important in these times when there are so many deceivers coming out and many of them are preaching such blasphemy from behind the pulpit. We must stay strong in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ and His word.

[Shammu]

Excellent work, and verses brother. 

One of the most commonly asked questions is whether or not the Antichrist is alive today. I believe he is, and I believe so for two reasons. First, I believe the Scriptures teach that the generation that sees the re-establishment of Israel (May 14, 1948) will live to see all the end time prophecies fulfilled (Matthew 24: 32-34). Second, I believe the signs of the times clearly indicate that we are standing on the threshold of the Tribulation, the most important of those signs being the regathering of the Jews to their land (Isaiah 11:10-12) and their re-occupation of the city of Jerusalem (Luke 21:24).

If the Antichrist is alive today, does he know who he is? Nope I don't think so. I don't think he has the foggiest idea of the role that Satan has in mind for him. He will not become the Antichrist until Satan possesses him and empowers him to deceive Europe and the Jews. His full revelation will not occur until he enters the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem in the middle of the Tribulation and declares himself to be god. 

He will be strong willed and reckless in his determination to have his way. He will show contempt for human traditions and will, of course, change even the calendar so that it will no longer be related to the birth of Jesus (Daniel 7:25).

Another point that is emphasized repeatedly is that the Antichrist will be possessed by Satan, just as Judas was (Luke 22:3). Daniel says his power will be mighty, "but not by his own power" (Daniel 8:24). Paul says his coming will be "in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders" (2 Thessalonians 2:9). John says that Satan will give his power and authority to the Antichrist (Revelation 13: 2).

Because he will be demonized, he will be a man who cannot be trusted. Psalm 52:2 says he will be a "worker of deceit." Psalm 55:21 says his speech will be "smoother than butter" but his heart will be filled with war. Psalm 5:6 calls him "a man of bloodshed and deceit." In Psalm 43:1 he is referred to as a "deceitful and unjust man."

Daniel indicates that he will be a sexual pervert, most likely a homosexual. As Daniel puts it, the Antichrist will show no regard "for the desire of women" (Daniel 11:37).

The overall picture is that of an ego-maniac who abhors God and exploits people for his own purposes. He is deceptive and ruthless. He is a man devoid of integrity. This is probably the reason that when Jesus returns, John characterizes Him as the "Faithful and True" One (Revelation 19:11), in contrast to the Antichrist who has been both unfaithful and untrue.

The lack of character that will be displayed by the Antichrist is perhaps best summed up in some of the names given to him in the Scriptures:

The Beast -- Revelation 13:1
The Man of Lawlessness -- 2 Thessalonians 2:3
The Son of Destruction -- 2 Thessalonians 2:3
The Despicable Person -- Daniel 11:21
The Willful King -- Daniel 11:36
The Worthless Shepherd -- Zechariah 11:17
The Insolent King -- Daniel 8:23
The Abomination -- Matthew 24:15

It is the Church that will be "taken out of the way," not the Holy Spirit. We know this for certain because the book of Revelation teaches that a great multitude will be saved during the Tribulation (Revelation 7:9-14), and no one can be saved apart from the witness of the Spirit (John 6:44, John 15:26, and 1 John 5:7). The Spirit will remain in the world, but the agency the Spirit currently works through to restrain evil, the Church, will be removed.

The Rapture itself is likely to be the event that will catapult the Antichrist to power. This is because the Rapture will produce international chaos and panic. The Antichrist, energized by Satan (Daniel 8:24), will seem to have all the answers to the world's problems. He will take over the European Union through skillful intrigue (Daniel 8:23) and will establish his headquarters in Rome (Revelation 17:3,9,18).

The seven year time period of the Tribulation will actually begin when the Antichrist negotiates a treaty that will bring true peace to the Middle East, enabling the Jews to rebuild their Temple (Daniel 9:27). With his European base consolidated and peace achieved in the Middle East, he will set forth to subdue the whole world.

One of the myths about the Antichrist that has developed in modern day interpretation is that the whole world will become so enamored with him that all the nations will surrender their sovereignty to him voluntarily.  This is a point I disagree with the "Left Behind Series."  The Bible does not teach this. It is also contrary to common sense. Africa and Asia and Latin America have not spent a century casting off European colonialism in order to suddenly turn around and receive a European dictator with open arms.

The world will resist him, and the result will be a Third World War in which he "will destroy to an extraordinary degree" (Daniel 8:24). This war will initially result in the death of one-fourth of humanity, or 1.5 billion people in today's terms (Revelation 6:2-8). As the Tribulation approaches its mid-point, this war will escalate into a nuclear holocaust that will result in the deaths of an additional one-third of those still alive -- another 1.5 billion (Revelation 8 and 9).

It will be a empty victory because in the process of his conquest, one-third of the earth will be destroyed and half its population will be killed. He will then consolidate his "victory" by instituting a one-world economy and a one-world religion.

[David_james]

First, I believe the Scriptures teach that the generation that sees the re-establishment of Israel (May 14, 1948) will live to see all the end time prophecies fulfilled (Matthew 24: 32-34).

If you're right, we are talking no more than 60 years!

[Shammu]

First, I believe the Scriptures teach that the generation that sees the re-establishment of Israel (May 14, 1948) will live to see all the end time prophecies fulfilled (Matthew 24: 32-34).

If you're right, we are talking no more than 60 years!

Brother David, one thing to remember is......

Matthew 24:36  But of that [exact] day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

When 40 years passed in 1988 without fulfillment of any of the events surrounding the Second Coming of Christ, the 40-year generation theory fell into disrepute.  Either 1948 was not the starting date for the generation described in the fig tree parable, or a generation must be longer than 40 years, according to the theory.  Additional arguments put forth claimed that 1967, the year Jerusalem was captured, or some other future date could be the birth of the generation that would see the return of Christ.

Some proponents of the "end times" generation theory questioned whether 40 years was actually the length of a generation today.  Is there any evidence to suggest that the length of a generation is longer than 40 years?  A few sources hold that a generation is now 20 to 30 years in length (but this better represents a generation "gap").  Other opinions range from 40 to 100 years.

A generation, as described in the Bible, begins at conception and ends at death (Gen 17:6-9; Ps 22:30; Jer 1:4,5; Act 13:36; Josh 24:29-31). The length of a generation is not an arbitrary period of time that occurs within the life span of an individual or group of people.  Joshua's age at the time of death, 110 years  (including 9 months gestation), was the length of the generation he represented.  Some of his generation died before him and some after him.  Consequently, the average life span of a group of people living at about the same time constitutes the length of that generation.

If the length of David's generation, Christ's generation, and the average life span of those living today in Israel is between 70 and 80 years (a 3000-year span), it would be reasonable to conclude that the generation Christ was talking about in the parable of the fig tree will also be 70 to 80 years in length. If the fig tree in this parable represents the nation of Israel, as many prophetic scholars believe, and the generation that is described has a life span of 70 to 80 years, then recent events such as the rebirth of Israel as a nation (Isa 66:8), the Jerusalem controversy in the "end times" (Zech 12:1-3), preparations for rebuilding the Jewish Temple (Rev 11:1,2), and the ongoing negotiations for a peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians (Dan 9:27) are strong indicators that the generation Christ was talking about has already been born.

[David_james]

I understand some of that. When I said no more than 60 years, I was thinking about the max possible a person can live, 120. Give a few years.
I am definitly not trying to figure exact day.

[Shammu]

I am definitly not trying to figure exact day.

Good man

Only God knows for sure when everything will happen. God's time table is different then mans.