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Tag: Antichrist

Who is the Antichrist

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in People and Nations, What’s new?.

Who is the Antichrist?

There is much speculation about the identity of the Antichrist. Some of the more popular targets are Vladimir Putin, Prince William, and Pope Francis I. In the United States, former Presidents Barack Obama and 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 ethnicity 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 1940s, 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.”

What is the Antichrist

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in People and Nations, Revelation, What’s new?.

First John 2:18 speaks of the Antichrist: “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.” The specific term antichrist is used five times in Scripture, twice here in 1 John 2:18 and once in 1 John 2:22; 4:3; and 2 John 1:7. So, what is this Antichrist that the apostle John refers to?

The meaning of the term antichrist is simply “against Christ.” As the apostle John records in First and Second John, an antichrist denies the Father and the Son (1 John 2:22), does not acknowledge Jesus (1 John 4:3), and denies that Jesus came in the flesh (2 John 1:7). There have been many “antichrists,” as 1 John 2:18 states. But there is also coming the Antichrist.

Most Bible prophecy/eschatology experts believe the Antichrist will be the ultimate embodiment of what it means to be against Christ. In the end times/last hour, a man will arise to oppose Christ and His followers more than anyone else in history. Likely claiming to be the true Messiah, the Antichrist will seek world domination and will attempt to destroy all followers of Jesus Christ and the nation of Israel.

Other biblical references to the Antichrist include the following:

The imposing, boastful king of Daniel 7 who oppresses the Jews and tries to “change the set times and the laws” (verse 25).

The leader who establishes a 7-year covenant with Israel and then breaks it in Daniel 9.

The king who sets up the abomination of desolation in Mark 13:14 (cf. Daniel 9:27).

The man of lawlessness in 2 Thessalonians 2:1–12.

The rider on a white horse (representing his claim to be a man of peace) in Revelation 6:2.

The first beast—the one from the sea—in Revelation 13. This beast receives power from the dragon (Satan) and speaks “proud words and blasphemies” (verse 5) and wages war against the saints (verse 7).

Thankfully, the Antichrist/beast, along with his false prophet, will be thrown into the lake of fire, where they will spend all eternity in torment (Revelation 19:20; 20:10).

What is the Antichrist? In summary, the Antichrist is the end-times false messiah who seeks, and likely achieves, world domination so that he can destroy Israel and all followers of Jesus Christ.

The antichrist and the mark of the beast

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Revelation, What’s new?.

What does it mean that the Antichrist will cause all to receive the mark of the beast in (Revelation 13:16)?

In Revelation 13 John introduces the beast (often referred to as the Antichrist), who will rule the world for a brief time in the future and who will bring devastation to the earth for forty-two months. John also describes another beast (Revelation 13:11), later called the false prophet (Revelation 16:13 and 19:20), who also has great authority and will cause all to worship the first beast or the Antichrist (Revelation 13:12). This false prophet will even have the ability to bring an image of the Antichrist to life (Revelation 13:14–15). The false prophet will cause all to receive the mark of the beast on the right hand or forehead (Revelation 13:16).

The specific nature of the mark of the Antichrist is not explained in Revelation. The purpose and implications of the mark are delineated, however. Without that mark no one can buy or sell (Revelation 13:17). Apparently, forcing everyone to receive the mark of the beast will be an important tool for controlling the world’s economy (Revelation 13:16).

Some have assumed that any kind of identification for regulating commerce is of the Antichrist, but that is not what the passage is teaching. John is not revealing principles of economics in this context. Rather, he is describing a future time when the Antichrist will be given authority to rule the world. With that authority, the Antichrist conditions buying and selling based on whether a person is willing to worship the Antichrist. If people are willing to worship him, they will accept the mark (Revelation 14:9, 11). This mark is no mere commercial device. All who accept the mark during the Antichrist’s reign will be rejecting Jesus, instead putting their trust in the Antichrist. All who accept that mark will be judged, while those who refuse the mark during that time will reign with Christ after He returns (Revelation 20:4). The problem with the mark is not an economic or technological issue; it is that accepting the mark will be a universal sign of disbelief in Jesus and trust in the Antichrist.

Today’s technology has advanced to the point where digital identification and electronic currency have certainly put in place some necessary conditions for global dictatorship; however, technology is not in itself a bad thing and can be used for good purposes. John is not teaching that we should fear technology or even digital commerce. He isn’t discussing those things at all. He is simply recounting what he saw and cautions people that there is coming a time when the false prophet will cause all to receive the mark of the beast on the right hand or forehead (Revelation 13:16). Taking the mark will be an act of worshiping the Antichrist.

The reign of the Antichrist will be a terrifying, awful time of global dictatorship, but it will not last forever. The authority of the Antichrist (the first beast in Revelation 13:1–10), the false prophet (the second beast in Revelation 13:11–18), and the dragon (Satan, so identified in Revelation 13:1 and 20:2) will end. Christ will return to earth triumphantly with all His saints (Revelation 19:14) to establish His eternal kingdom (Revelation 20:1–6). After the first one thousand years of that kingdom, Jesus will judge everyone (Revelation 20:7–15). God wins in the end.

Even though the church will not be present on earth during the Antichrist’s rule (the church is taken up to heaven before the day of the Lord, see 1 Thessalonians 4:13–17), Jesus warns that the message of the book of Revelation is for the churches to pay attention (Revelation 22:16). During the time the church is on earth, there is no danger of receiving the mark of the beast. But there are certainly many ways we can fail to trust in and worship Jesus. Jesus warns the churches that He will come suddenly, ending the reign of evil. That message should ensure we will not neglect Him in this current age (see Revelation 22:16 and Hebrews 2:3).