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Prophecy Basics -- the Antichrist

by Kenneth V. Ryland

 

Anticipation is in the air. Everywhere Christians are thinking that ours could be the age that ushers in the return of the King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, that's not such a bad expectation. The sense of expectancy generates urgency, and urgency beckons us to preparation.

Unfortunately, such expectancy also generates lunacy and groundless speculation. I am just as curious as the next guy (maybe even more curious than most) when it comes to wanting to know the signs of the return of Christ. That's why I'm willing to look at and consider just about any prophetic scribbling or utterance regarding the times and season of the Lord's return. And, believe me, the speculations surrounding the prophetic timetable, the antichrist, the temple, the tribulation, and on and on, are almost endless.

Let's take the subject of the antichrist for starters.

During the past year alone, I have heard men stake the reputation of their ministries on the conviction that the "antichrist" has to be Prince Charles, Butros Butros Gahli, the second successor to Sadam Hussein, Mikhael Gorbachev, and even Bill Clinton. Some have even gone so far as to declare that they would quit the ministry if their "guy" was not the one.

Since we started with "the antichrist," let's look at what the Scripture gives us regarding the antichrist. First, there is only one place in the Bible in which the phrase "the antichrist" is used. That is in the first epistle of John, chapter two, verse 18, which in the NIV reads: "Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour."

Even though the term "antichrist" is used commonly these days, this epitome of end-time evil is never referred to in the book of Revelation (also penned by the apostle John) as the "the antichrist." Rather, in Revelation he is referred to as "the beast." Yes, the antichrist and the beast are one and the same. So, when you hear someone speaking about the antichrist, just remember: antichrist = beast.

 
Antichrist

2 John 2:18-19
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.
 

Man of Sin

2 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,
4* 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.
5* Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?
6* And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.
7* For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; ... 
 

The Beast

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. ...
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.

Fourth Beast

Daniel 7
23* "Thus he said: `The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all other kingdoms, wnd shall devour the whole earth, trample it and break it in pieces...
25* He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute [Literally, "wear out"] 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.

 

What I have give in the table above is visual comparison of scriptures that appear to refer to the same events. Each is seen a little differently by the writer, but I believe these passages complement one another. This is by no means intended to be an exhaustive study on the antichrist, but I hope it will allow the reader to see the prophecies relating to the antichrist (beast) more clearly.

Before concluding, we should look at what Christ says about "the end of the age" in His famous "Olivet Prophecy" in the gospels. Jesus' words are contained in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. They relate to us a description of the very time when this antichrist (beast/man of sin) will rise to power and seek to take control of the entire world.

 
Matthew 24
Mark 13
Luke 21

9* "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.
10* "And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.
11* "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.
12* "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
15* "Therefore when you see the `abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand),
21* "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.
22* "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.
23* "Then if anyone says to you, `Look, here is the Christ!' or `There!' do not believe it.
24* "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
29* "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
30* "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31* "And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

12* "Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.
13* "And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
14* ¶ "So when you see the `abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not" (let the reader understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
15* "Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house.
16* "And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.
17* "But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!
18* "And pray that your flight may not be in winter.
19* "For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.
20* "And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.
21* "Then if anyone says to you, `Look, here is the Christ!' or, `Look, He is there!' do not believe it.
22* "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
23* "But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.
24* ¶ "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;
25* "the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
26* "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27* "And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.

16* "You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.
17* "And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.
18* "But not a hair of your head shall be lost.
19* "By your patience possess your souls.
20* ¶ "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.
21* "Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.

22* "For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
23* "But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.
24* "And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
25* "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;
26* "men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.
27* "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28* "Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

To summarize, there seem to be four events (occurring simultaneously) that mark the season of the return of Christ to this earth:

Even though the stage appears to be set for ushuring in these events, until you see them, you have not yet seen "the signs of [His] coming." "Watch, therefore, and pray that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that will come upon the earth and to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:36)

 

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