Antichrist Series: Introduction

Both the Old and New Testament Scriptures prophesy of a man who will live during the seventieth week of Daniel who will rule the entire world as a great tyrant.

Satan is behind his power and will be the most wicked individual in the history of the world and he will stridently oppose Jesus Christ with all the power of the devil himself.

The Scriptures give the Antichrist many titles and names: (1) “The beast” (Revelation 13:1-2) (2) “The prince that will come” (Daniel 9:26-27) (3) The “man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-10) (4) The “scarlet beast” (Revelation 17:3) (5) The willful king (Daniel 11:36-40) (6) “The man of sin” (2 Thessalonians 2:3), (7) “The son of perdition” (2 Thessalonians 2:3) (8) The Desolater (Daniel 9:27).

He will not appear until the Day of the Lord has begun (2 Thessalonians 2:2) and his manifestation is being hindered by the Restrainer (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7) and this appearance will be preceded by the rapture of the church (2 Thessalonians 2:3).

In 2 Thessalonians 2:1-13, the apostle Paul teaches the Thessalonian Christian community that the rapture of the church will precede the day of the Lord.

He sought to assure the Thessalonian church that the day of the Lord had not yet begun and he instructs them that “the rebellion” must come first before the day of the Lord can take place.

Also, the Antichrist must be revealed for the day of the Lord to take place.

2 Thessalonians 2:1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 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. 4 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. 5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. 13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

Antichrist will be a Gentile since he arises from the sea according to Revelation 13:1 and since the sea depicts the Gentile nations according to Revelation 17:15, he must be of Gentile origin.

He will arise from the Roman Empire, since he is a ruler of the people who destroyed Jerusalem (Dan. 9:26).

Antichrist is the head of the last form of Gentile world dominion, for he is like a leopard, a bear, and a lion (Revelation 13:1; compare Daniel 7:7-8, 20, 24; Revelation 17:9-11) and as such he is a political leader.

Daniel 7:21-22 identifies him as “the little horn” and asserts the following about him: (1) He will persecute the saints of the Most High and is thus a person and Daniel 7:24 says that he is a king. (2) He will overcome the nation of Israel and will bring that nation under his authority (Revelation 12:13-17; 17:7). (3) He will be judged by God (Revelation 19:19-20) and Israel will thus enter into her millennial reign.

Daniel 7:23 reveals that the little horn will have a world-wide kingdom (Compare Revelation 13:7) and it will be an overwhelming conquest, which anticipates a coming one-world government under a worldwide dictator.

Daniel 7:25 corresponds to Revelation 13:1-10 and gives us three more additional facts about the Antichrist: (1) He will oppose God’s authority as indicated by the phrase “He will speak out against the Most High” (Compare Revelation 13:6). (2) He will oppress born-again Israel as indicated by the statement “wear down the saints of the Highest One”. (3) He will abolish the Levitical sacrifices in the rebuilt temple and institute the worship of himself. (Compare Daniel 7:25; 2 Thessalonians 2:4).

Daniel 7:15 As for me, Daniel, my soul was distressed in the midst of my body. Specifically, the visions in my mind caused me to be terrified. 16 I went up to one from those standing nearby in order to request from him the truth regarding all this. Consequently, he spoke to me in order to make known to me the interpretation of these events. 17 ‘These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings, who will arise from the earth’s inhabitants. 18 However, the saints belonging to the Most High will receive the kingdom. Indeed, they will possess the kingdom throughout eternity, yes throughout eternity, the ages.’ 19 Then, I desired to know the meaning concerning the fourth beast which was different from all the others, extraordinarily intimidating, its two rows of teeth composed of iron as well as its claws composed of bronze. It devoured as well as crushed. Specifically, it violently crushed the rest with its feet. 20 Also, I desired to know the meaning concerning the ten horns which were on its head as well as the one which emerged and in addition three fell by being in the presence of it. Specifically, that horn possessing eyes as well as a mouth making it a habit of speaking boastfully. Indeed, its appearance was more distinguished than its contemporaries. 21 I was continuing to stare in a trance like state as that horn was continually waging war against the saints so as to overpower them 22 until the One Ancient in Days intervened. Specifically, He rendered judgment in favor of the Most High’s saints. Then, the moment arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom. 23 Thus, he said, ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all these kingdoms in the sense that it will devour the entire earth. Specifically, it will trample it down so that it crushes it. 24 Also, the ten horns are ten kings who will arise from this kingdom. Then, another will arise after them. However, he will be different in comparison to the previous ones. Specifically, he will conquer three kings. 25 Furthermore, he will issue statements against the Most High. Also, he will make it his habit of persecuting the Most High’s saints as well as attempting to change the times, yes even the Law. Indeed, they will be given into his power for a period of a time, times and a half a time. 26 However, the court will be convened with the result that they will take away his governmental dominion by destroying, yes, by killing him at the end. (My translation)

Daniel 9:26 indicates that this little horn will be a Roman dictator as indicated by the phrase “the people of the prince who is to come.”

Daniel 9:24 “Seventy units of seven years have been decreed for the benefit of your people as well as for the benefit of your holy city in order to put an end to the rebellion and in addition to bring sin to an end as well as to atone for iniquity likewise to bring about everlasting righteousness as well as to seal up prophetic vision and in addition to anoint the most holy place. 25 Therefore, please know, yes please carefully consider: From the issuing of the command to restore, yes to rebuild Jerusalem until an anointed one, a prince, there will be seven units of seven years and sixty-two units of seven years. It will be restored, yes it will be rebuilt with a public square as well as a defensive trench even during distressful times. 26 Then, after the sixty two-units of seven years, the Messiah will be executed so that He possesses nothing. Next, the people of the coming leader will destroy the city as well as the sanctuary. Indeed, its end will take place with a flood. Yes, there will be war up to the end. Desolations have been decreed. 27 Then, he will establish a firm covenant with the leaders, which will be one unit of seven years. However, he will cause the sacrificial offering to stop in the middle of this unit of seven years while between the wings which results in abominations, he will cause desecration. Indeed, until a decreed complete destruction is poured out against the desecrater.” (My translation)

“The people” were the Romans who destroyed the temple forty years after the death of Christ and “the prince” refers to the little horn, i.e. the Antichrist indicating that the Antichrist will be a Roman.

Daniel 9:27 says that Antichrist will pretend to be Israel’s benefactor and make a treaty with her but will turn against her in the mid-way point of Daniel’s Seventieth Week and will persecute Israel and occupy Jerusalem for three and a half years.

He will make a seven-year treaty with the leaders of Israel, which will begin the final seven prophetic years called the seventieth week and during the middle of this seventieth week after three and a half years, he will break the treaty and stop the sacrifices in the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and declare himself God.

Nothing in history corresponds to the events described during this seventieth week and the Second Advent of Christ has yet to take place.

Daniel 7:26 refers to the Supreme Court of Heaven, (God the Father) passing down the decision to remove the Antichrist’s power, which will take place at the Second Advent of Christ, which terminates Daniel’s Seventieth Week (See Revelation 19:11-20:6).

Satan through the Antichrist will seek to prevent Christ’s rule on the earth by attempting to destroy God’s covenant people Israel but his reign will be short, only three and a half years and will be terminated with the Second Advent of Jesus Christ who at that time will establish His millennial reign on earth in fulfillment of God’s covenant promises to Israel.

This prophecy concerning the little horn will take place in the future since no such ruler has attained world-wide rulership over a one-world government, no such ruler has subdued three of ten kings who were ruling at once and no such ruler has persecuted Israel for three and a half years and no such ruler has been destroyed by the return of Jesus Christ!

Therefore, we can see that toward the end of the Times of the Gentiles, a one world government under a tyrannical dictator will emerge from a ten nation confederacy.

This confederacy will emerge out of the old Roman Empire and thus will be a European confederacy.

This ten-nation confederacy that will take place in the future will be a revived form of the Roman Empire since it is portrayed in Daniel 2 and 7 as emerging from the fourth kingdom, Rome.

This confederacy will be led by a Roman dictator who will become a world-wide dictator and the Scriptures identify him as the Antichrist