RISE OF ANTICHRIST TO WORLD POWER

RISE OF ANTICHRIST TO WORLD POWER

• The Steps in His Rise

(Note - In general the order is correct, but we cannot insist on this too dogmatically.)

1. Begins his triumphant march immediately following rapture of church.

Roman Empire with false religion, Gentile Domination, Satan, Spirit

2 Thess. 2:7-8 ARV - Holy Spirit in the Church is the restraining influence. "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 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."

Rev. 6:1-2 Immediately after the rapture of the Church. "And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer."

 2. Politically, he comes as a small figure. (Small i.e. inconspicuous)

Illustration: At 22 Alexander the Great was a petty prince. Four years later he was Master of an Empire and changed the course of history.

Dan. 7:8 "Another horn, a little one." "I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things."

Starts as a minor political power.

Rev. 6:1-2 "Conquering and to conquer" "And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer."

 3. Starts at once his ruthless extension of power.

Dan. 7:8, cf. 20, 24 Evidently conquers 3 powers. "I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things."

"And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows."

"And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings."

 Rev. 11:7-8 "And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified."

The Agent of Destruction
This is the beast that ascendeth out of the Abyss. This is the beast of Rev. 13:1; 17:3, 8; 19:19-20; 20:10). This is the Antichrist, the head of the revived Roman Empire.

 Rev. 13:2 "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 seat, and great authority."

 This hybrid beast—part lion, part bear, part leopard, part dragon—is a composite of the three beasts of Daniel 7:1-6, being itself the nondescript fourth beast of Daniel 7:7. The latter will have gained supremacy over the other three, which seem to represent respectively the western confederacy, the northern confederacy and the eastern confederacy (see notes on Daniel 7).

4. Makes treaty with Jews for seven years.

John 5:43 "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive."

Dan. 9:26 "He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week."

Antichrist may need money, and this is his way of  obtaining using oil and other products.

Dan. 9:27 getting it. Jews will temporarily accept him as their Messiah. "And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined."

 

5. Becomes head of ten-power confederacy (in bounds of ancient Roman Empire) Contains several false religious beliefs.

Rev. 13:1 10 horns "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy."

Rev. 17:12-13 "10 horns which thou sawest are ten kings" "And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast."

 

6. Extends his power over many countries.

Psa. 110:6 ARV "head over many countries."

Isa. 14:5-6, 16-17 "The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers. He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth."

"They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?"

 7. Meets kings of north and south with apparent success. Three kings - Willful King; King of the North; King of South

Dan. 11:40-43 "And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps."

Meaning of "north" and "south"?

cf. Ezek. 38 and 39 (6 "North Quarters")

8. Finally reaches place of world authority.

Rev. 13:7b "Over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations."

Political, economic, religious cf. Rev. 17-18

 9. Becomes final "king of Babylon"

Isa. 14:1-15 "King of Babylon"

Rev. 17:9, 11-14, 17

Finally Babylon is a city and also a world system.

 10. The Means of His Rise.

- Chaotic world conditions.

Rev. 6:3-8 Universal war, famine, pestilence, dislocation "And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth."

Matt. 24:6-7 Wars and rumors of wars - nation against nation. "And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places."

 -He has great personal ability.

Rev. 13:3-4 "Who is like unto this man?"

 -He has the support of Jewish nation.

Dan. 9:27 "Many" "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."

 

1. Many great men are Jews.

2. They have a racial solidarity like no other group.

 -He has the influence of apostate Christendom.

Rev. 17:1-5 The Apostate Church rides the Beast. "And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sits upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."

- He has Satanic power.

Satan gives his power, throne, and his authority what he once offered Christ, he now gives to his willing servant.

Rev. 13:2 "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 seat, and great authority."

 -He has also Divine providential control.

Psa. 75:6-7 "He puts down one, and sets up another, but God is the Judge."

cf. Rev. 14:8-10 Heaven may be in a Northerly direction; cf. also Isa. 14:13.

-The Chronology of His Rise.

Beginning of public career follows rapture of church.

2 Thess. 2:7 A dateless event. "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way."

 

His treaty with Jews will mark beginning of Daniel's 70th week of years. Dan. 9:27 "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."

We cannot be dogmatic about the time between beginning of public career and treaty with Jews.

Probably occurs near or at the same time.

But we know he will reach the height of his power in middle of 70th week.

THE SIX-FOLD ORIGIN OF THE ANTICHRIST - IS HE A JEW?

THE SIX-FOLD ORIGIN OF THE ANTICHRIST

•  Racial Origin - a Jew - Hyman Appelman says Jews wouldn't accept anybody else.

Dan. 11:37 "God of his fathers" - this has a Jewish flavor. "Nor desire of women" points to Messiah.

Cf. Isa. 14:20 "Thy land . . . thy people."

Gen. 49:16-17 Hippolytus traces his origin to tribe of Dan. Dan left out in 144,000 in Rev. 7 Dan was cursed.

"Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward."

Daniel 11:37 says of this coming ruler, "He will show no regard for the gods [God] of his fathers." Will the Antichrist be a Jew? In Revelation 13:1 he is described as "a beast coming up out of the sea," which symbolizes the Gentile world (cf. Dan. 7:2-3; Rev. 17:15). But he could be a Jew born and raised in a Gentile nation and still fit this description. An even more important question is how apostate Israel will view this person. If they see him as their Messiah, they would more likely accept him as such if he were a Jew (Deut. 18:15, 18; 2 Sam. 7:12). But it is not altogether clear they will see him as their true Messiah at the time they enter into the seven-year covenant (Dan. 9:27), unless our Lord implied this in John 5:43 (cf. Matt. 24:5). A key question is whether 'elohim at the beginning of Dan. 11:37 is to be understood as singular ("God") or plural ("gods"), for "the God of his fathers" would indicate that he is a Jew. The Hebrew wording in the following verse ("instead," or lit., "in his place") suggests a singular antecedent. Edward J. Young concludes: "The phrase has a Jewish emphasis and has reference to the Jewish religion. The one who has no regard for this Jewish religion is himself a Jew, the Antichrist. I fully agree with Gaebelein's statement, 'Here his Jewish descent becomes evident.'"
Neither shall the Antichrist have regard for "the desire of women." "He shall set himself free ... from all piety toward men and God, from all the tender affections of the love of men and of God. The 'love of women' [cf. 2 Sam. 1:26] is named as an example ... of that affection of human love and attachment for which even the most selfish and most savage of men feel some sensibility."
Furthermore, "he will honor a god of fortresses ... he will give great honor to those who acknowledge him" (Dan. 11:38-39). The Antichrist will lavish all his vast resources upon military fortifications and programs and will encourage cooperation by distributing positions of authority and valuable property to his followers.
Daniel 11:40 states, "And at the end time the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of the North will storm against him ... and. he will enter countries, overflow them, and pass through." "At the end time" is a clear eschatological reference in the book of (Daniel 11:35; 12:4, 9). The King of the South must therefore be a yet future Egyptian monarch, judging from the previous use of the term in the chapter and also the clear statements of Dan. 11:42-43. Presumably in alliance with a King of the North (such as Russia today?), the eschatological Egyptian ruler will launch a diversionary thrust and "will collide with him," that is, with "the king [who] will do as he pleases" (the Antichrist) in the immediately preceding context (Dan. 11:36-39).
It is important to note that the antecedent of "him" (used twice in verse 40) must be the Antichrist, whose location at this time will be somewhere between the "north" and the "south," presumably Palestine.
Could the King of the North be Syria? No, for his "attack on Antichrist involves the King of the North's entering, overflowing, and passing through other countries en route to Palestine." The name of any particular "King of the North" may indeed change with the flux of history, but the general location remains fixed. "Russia meets the hermeneutical requirements involved, in the title 'King of the North' associated with the Seleucid Empire [of vv. 5-29]. It has a corresponding northern location, a corresponding vast geographical scope, and a corresponding vast political preeminence."
Although agreeing that three distinct kings are seen in Daniel 11:40-45, most premillennialists understand the pronoun he in these verses to refer to the Antichrist, not the King of the North. Thus, when the King of the South storms against him with chariots, horsemen, and many ships, the Antichrist is viewed as launching a counterattack whereby "he will enter countries." This great conflict is seen as continuing throughout the last half of the Seventieth Week until the Antichrist comes to supernatural judgment at .Armageddon.
Among the difficulties with this view are: (1) Revelation 13:4 seems to contradict the idea that the Antichrist will require forty-two months to subdue his enemies; (2) the "rumors" he hears are from Palestine ("the Beautiful Land"), east and north of Libya and Ethiopia, not from the Euphrates River as generally understood (cf. Rev. 16:12); (3) if the king in Dan. 11:45 were the Antichrist, 12:1 would seem to be anticlimactic, whereas the Antichrist is the climax of all evil forces until the second coming of Christ; (4) it is not primarily Israel, but rather the Antichrist, who is attacked by both the King of the South and the King of the North in this passage.

• National Origin - Roman Empire

Dan. 7:7-8 Beast with ten horns (Roman Empire) - another, a little horn.

Dan. 9:26 Romans destroyed the city in 70 A.D.

•  Geographical Origin - one of four divisions

Out of one of the four notable horns

1. Syria (including Babylon) King of the North.

2. Macedonia

3. Egypt (cf. Ezek. 30:13)

4. Asia Minor

Dan. 8:8-9, 21-23

•  Political Origin

Rev. 13:1 "He" (ARV) stood, i.e. Satan stood - cf. with preceding chapter. "Sea" is a symbol of nations in Scripture (cf. Rev. 17:1)

Cf. Dan. 7:2-3  "Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another."

Lenin came out of war, confusion; also Trotsky, Hitler, Mussolini

•  Spiritual Origin

Rev. 11:7 "And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them."

Rev. 17:8 "The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is."

Rev. 16:13 - One of Satanic trinity - "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet."

Matt. 4:8-9 to be Satan's own man - "Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me."

cf. Alternative views:

1. Antichrist comes up out of the bottomless pit; or

2. He will be a human being who will he possessed by an evil spirit out of the abyss. This last might be a parody on Baptism of Spirit on Christ.

•  Providential Origin

2 Thess. 2:11 God sends strong delusion. "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:"

Rev. 6:1-2 God says "Go" "And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer."

 

• God is in control--this gives the believer confidence

THE ANTICHRIST'S RELIGION AND MORAL CHARACTER

THE ANTICHRIST'S RELIGION AND MORAL CHARACTER

He will be the very incarnation and consummation of human sin, pride, arrogance, rebellion and ambition.

• A materialistic pantheist in religion

Dan. 11:38 - "honor a god of forces" (A.R.V.) "Fortresses"

Deification of natural forces and denial of any god apart from them. Enables him to justify worship of self and image on philosophic grounds. Leads finally to enthronement of force in settlement of human affairs. Examples - Germany, Russia, See Andrews "Christianity and Anti-Christianity."

•  A blasphemer extraordinary

Rev. 13:1, 5-6 "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy." "And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven."

Dan. 7:25 "And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time."

Dan. 11:36 "speak marvelous things against the God of gods."

"Marvelous" - Heb. word used of extraordinary acts of God. Almost equivalent to supernatural.

 What is blasphemy in worst form? Should not confuse with swearing, cursing, profanity. It is the highly intellectual man who dispassion­ately and deliberately denying or affirming untruth about God, or the things of God. Speaking against Jesus.

•  The great antinomian. "Against the law."

2 Thess. 2:8 A.R.V. -- "That lawless one" -- ho anomoV anomos an'-om-os cf. v. 3 Margin - "the man of lawlessness"

All sin partakes of this character -- 1 John 3:4 A.R. V. "Sin is lawlessness." anomia anomia an-om-ee'-ah

Intolerance of discipline and restraint a mark of times. All who are intolerant of restraint are always tyrants toward others.

 

• The very incarnation of selfish ambition

Dan. 11:36, 37  "Exalt . . . magnify himself"

2 Thess. 2:4 "Exalteth himself"

 This is basic nature of all sin. Choice of self instead of God. As witness Adam.

The very antithesis of our Lord. "Not my will but thine be done." Phil. 2:5-8 - "Emptied himself."

 

• Attempts to defeat the course of prophecy and change law of God

Dan. 7:25 - "thinks to change (the) times and (the) laws" A.R.V.

Times (see Acts 1:7) appointed times - not as 7th day Adventist. Laws (Rom. 6:23) "The wages of sin is death." "Ye shall not surely die" Gen. 3.

•  Claims for self-honors which belong to God alone

Dan. 11:36 "Magnify himself above every God."

2 Thess. 2:4 "Showing himself that he is God."

 Cf. present tendencies

Identification of God with the material Universe - mother nature

Development of a social consciousness of humanity.

Recognition of the value of ritual and symbolism.

THE ANTICHRIST'S GREAT PERSONALITY AND GENIUS

THE ANTICHRIST'S GREAT PERSONALITY AND GENIUS

In these respects he will be the most remarkable figure the world has ever seen (save One). What about the great saints. They are in a different sphere. The Saints fall in the sphere of holiness; the man of sin in the sphere of spectacular.

•  The antichrist will be different from all other men:

Rev. 13:4 "Who is like unto the beast?"

Dan. 7:24 with 7, 19, 23 "Diverse" - Just as the Roman Empire was different from all other kingdoms, so this king will differ from all who precede him.

•  The antichrist has High intelligence

Rev. 13:18 Number is 666; cf. with verse 2. "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."
"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 seat, and great authority."
Eyes symbols of intelligence.
Dan. 7:8  "Eyes" This horn had eyes, therefore more intelligent than other horns.
Ezek. 1:18 "As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four."
Rev. 4:6 "And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind."

• The antichrist is a great orator. "Mouth speaking great things."

Dan. 7:8 with Rev. 13:5  "I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things."

"And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months."

 

• The antichrist is a philosopher of note. "Understanding dark sentences"

Dan. 8:23 "And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up."

Cf. 2 Chron. 9:1 "hard questions" "And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart."

2 Thess. 2:3-4 Opposeth and Exalteth--Falling away "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God."

 

• Revelation of the Man of Sin

1 Tim. 4:1 "Doctrine of Demons" "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;"

 The antichrist will be a crafty politician. "Through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand."

Rev. 17:12-13, 17 "And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast."

"For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled."

Dan. 8:25 R.V. marg. "By prosperity he shall corrupt many."

•  The antichrist will have a strong physical appearance

2 Thess. 2:4 "Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God."

cf. Rev. 13:3; 17:8 "And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast."

"The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is."

Dan. 8:23 "Fierce" (Heb.-strong) Countenance. "And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up."

Cf. Dan. 7:20 "stouter than his fellows." "And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows."

•  The antichrist will have military genius

Rev. 13:4 "Who is able to make war with him."

 The antichrist will be a wonder of the world.

"The world wondered after the Beast." Rev. 13:3-4

 

Conclusion: Yet beneath this glittering exterior, he is a "Beast" - Rev. 13:1

Word "Beast" (qhrion therion thay-ree'-on) means wild beast.

NAMES APPLIED TO ANTICHRIST

THE NAMES APPLIED TO ANTICHRIST

•  State them in reverse order -- why? Because the latest are the clearest.

Rev. 13:1 "The Beast"

1 John 2:18 "Antichrist"

2 Thess. 2:8 ARV Lawless One (RV) Wicked One (AV)

2 Thess. 2:3 Son of Perdition, Man of Sin (Lawlessness)

Zech. 11:17 Idol Shepherd - Heb. - worthless

Dan. 11:36 The Wilful King

Dan. 9:26  Prince that shall come

Dan. 8:23 King of Fierce Countenance

Dan. 7:8 A little horn

Isa. 51:12 Man that shall die

Isa. 29:20 The terrible one

Isa. 16:4-5 The Spoiler

Isa. 14:4 King of Babylon, Oppressor

Psa. 110:6 Head over many countries

Gen. 3:15 "thy seed" - seed of serpent

OLD TESTAMENT BACKGROUND TO ANTICHRIST

OLD TESTAMENT BACKGROUND

• In general, find two lines of humanity in Old Testament

 One is good - culminates in the true-Christ. Line of (Seth) Jesus Christ, second-man, Last Adam.

 One is bad - culminates in the anti-Christ. Line of (Cain) Antichrist. lb. In Genesis.

 

  Gen. 3:15 "Thy seed" - (serpent's seed) and "her seed" (Christ).

"And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." 

 

•  In the Psalms

 Psa. 1:1-6 Two types of men; if there is a Messianic element, then why not a Antimessianic element.

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish." 

 

 Psa. 10:18 in context "The man of the earth" Cf. verse 4

 "To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress."

"The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts."

 

 Psa. 110:1-7 A.R.V. "Wound the head over many countries." Messianic Psalm.

 "A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head."

 

•  In Isaiah

 The true Messiah appears clearly and sharply in Isaiah.

 So also the Anti-Messiah -- Isaiah 14:1-20 primarily about the future king of Babylon. But it moves on to Satan who energizes him.

 "For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors. And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve. That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers. He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth. The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing. Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us. Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house. But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet. Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned."

 

•  In Daniel, Chapters 7, 8, 9, 11

 Outline of Antichrist does not reach its highest development until John pens the Book of Revelation.

INTRODUCTION TO THE ANTICHRIST & THE 2nd COMING

THE SECOND COMING AND THE ANTICHRIST

INTRODUCTION

 

• The two extreme attitudes:

1. Some don't want anything said on this point.

2. Others talk too much about it.

Proper attitude - Give it the place the Scriptures give it and it will take its proper place.

•  Reasons for discussing the antichrist:

1. Bible has much to say for the protection and edification of the believer.

2. Certain tendencies in the world today point to the rise of Antichrist.

 

• Main passages are in four books:

Isa. 14:1-20

Dan. 7:8-26, 8:9-25, 9:26-27, 11:36-45

2 Thess. 2:1-12

Rev. 13:1-10; 17:1-18

 THE GREEK TERM - antichristos   anticristoV antichristos an-tee'-khris-tos

Meaning: against Christ. Counterpart or imitation; substitution; opposition.

 

• Usage in New Testament: only by John -- five times

1 John 2:18 the definite article with that oti antichrist anticristo  is rejected by many editors. But this does not make the idea indefinite. The quality of Antichrist as centered in one person still persists.

 

1 John 2:22 "Who tiV is esti a liar yeusthV but ei mh he that denieth arneomai that oti Jesus IhsouV is esti ou the Christ CristoV? He outoV is esti antichrist anticristoV, that denieth arneomai the Father pathr and kai the Son uioV."

1 John 4:3 - Confesseth not Jesus "And kai every paV spirit pneuma that oV confesseth omologew not mh that Jesus IhsouV Christ CristoV is come ercomai in en the flesh sarx is esti not ou of ek God qeoV: and kai this touto is esti that spirit of antichrist anticristoV, whereof oV ye have heard akouw that oti it should come ercomai; and even kai now nun already hdh is it esti in en the world kosmoV"

2 John 7 - Refers to Second Coming "For oti many poluV deceivers planoV are entered eisercomai into eiV the world kosmoV, who o confess omologew not mh that Jesus IhsouV Christ CristoV is come ercomai in en the flesh sarx. This outoV is esti a deceiver planoV and kai an antichrist anticristoV"

•  The problem in John's references:

Does John deny the coming of a final person in this character? No.

He merely points out that the tendencies were in the world at the time of writing. This same John also wrote Revelation.

Does "antichrist" mean only "opposer" of Christ? Imitation - substi­tution - opposition

"Anti can mean substitution or opposition, but both ideas are identical in the word antichristos." (Robertson, Word Pictures, Vol. VI, Page 215).

Cf. Matt. 24:5, pseudochristoi these are "For gar many poluV shall come ercomai in epi my mou name onoma, saying legw, I egw am eimi Christ CristoV; and kai shall deceive planaw many poluV."