The Antichrist
By this eighth part of the End Times Made Easy Series, we’ve already discussed this character quite a bit.
Here’s what we can determine from scriptures about this entity:
He’s a Human Male
It isn’t unusual for people, real people, in the Bible to be referred to as an animal or a beast (same thing, really). In fact, the enemy of mankind, who is a real angelic being, is called a serpent, a dragon, a beast and I don’t know what else.
So as we discuss this man, please know that he is just a man; like any other man.
Now, he has a sidekick, another human male, known only as the False Prophet. We know even less of him than antichrist. But we do know that the false prophet will be able to do false miracles, empowered by satanic forces.
There’s Only One
John tells us that there are many who are anti-Christ (against Jesus and His ways). All of the fallen angels, people who practice sorcery or magic, evil and selfish dictators, and all sorts of influential and powerful people in the world are, have been, and will be against Jesus and His Father’s kingdom.
But this one guy is going to be the worst, most powerful and evil dictator to ever walk the earth. He will indeed rule the entire world system for a short time (3½ years). Prior to those epic 3½ years he will be brought to prominence very quickly, aided by both Satan and God. From the start, he will command huge armies of coalition forces and be against Jews and Christians alike (anyone who is considered “of God”, or “The Holy Covenant”).
Ezekiel quotes the Lord saying of him,
He is referred to as “the one”; meaning the only one. He is in a class of his own. It’s in the form of a question, but that’s just a style of communication. The obvious answer is “yes, he is the one”. The only one.
Many Names
Just like his master (Satan), antichrist has many titles and names. These names aren’t exclusive to him and they differ from version to version of the Bible (even “Gog” is reused in the millennium for someone else). A pamphlet this size can’t really cover them all, but I’ll show a short list.
- Gog (Ezekiel 38-39, discussed)
- Man of Lawlessness (2 Thess. 2)
- That Lawless One (2 Thess. 2)
- King from the North (Dan. 11)
- The Beast (Rev. 13-16, 19; Dan. 7)
Other names could be Son (or Man) of Perdition, or Man of Sin but these are not directly given about him in the Bible.
Who is He?
Unknown
Many students of end times prophecy like to spend their days trying to figure out who it’s going to be. I’ve heard all kinds of wacky guesses given about his identity. Of course, we really don’t know who he will be until he is revealed in the Temple of God.
The fact is, all guesses are just guesses. The Bible doesn’t tell us his name or exact birthplace or any other identifiable facts that give us his name before he is revealed to us. He will only arise to fame when it’s already too late to stop him. And as much as we’d like to stop him, we can’t; it’s what must take place, according to God.
Is he alive now? Who knows? Maybe; maybe not.
Where is he from? What’s his nationality and heritage and whatnot? Well, we only know that he is of “Magog”, which the Bible doesn’t exactly give a solid location for. But it seems to be widely accepted that Magog is a region north of Israel, between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, known as “The Caucasus”. It contains 5 nations currently:
- Russia
- Georgia
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Turkey
This doesn’t mean that he is from any particular nation in that group, but that he will be associated with one of them. I don’t see anything in the Bible to confirm which one he is from, either. And maybe he’s really born somewhere else but grows up or into power there. All I know is that he is “of ” Magog. And I consider Magog to be a physical place; not a concept or a state of being.
Known
When we read Daniel’s 11th chapter, we get a good amount of data on our enemy-to-be. We start at verse 21 and go to the end of the chapter (v. 45 in my Bible).
He rises to power quickly, from relative obscurity.
He is truly despicable.
He knows how to work people, the facts, and make up his own reality that he sucks gullible and weak and corrupt leaders into.
He can influence the influencers to his own profit and have him come out on top.
He will be aided by God, Satan, and even mankind at large to put him in power and keep him there until Jesus gets back.
“The next to come to power will be a despicable man who is not in line for royal succession. He will slip in when least expected and take over the kingdom by flattery and intrigue.”
“Before him great armies will be swept away, including a covenant prince.”
[(Maybe a follower of Jesus?)]
“With deceitful promises, he will make various alliances. He will become strong despite having only a handful of followers. Without warning he will enter the richest areas of the land. Then he will distribute among his followers the plunder and wealth of the rich—something his predecessors had never done. He will plot the overthrow of strongholds, but this will last for only a short while.”
(Daniel 11:21-24, NLT)
This guy really knows how to leverage anything that can be leveraged, and I’m guessing, to the limit. You might have a big smile on your face while it’s happening to you. He might make you feel good about what happens to you.
Inevitability
Whoever he is, wherever he comes from, whatever he does or doesn’t do, he will come for Israel. He will conquer them. He will also take over the world in a most violent and certain manner. God will ensure that the whole world listens to him as He gives him power and a microphone.
The power is spiritual and affects people’s minds (to believe). The micro-phone is for him to blaspheme Jesus to no limit, so that all who agree with his blas-phemies will suffer right along with him in the Lake of Burning Fire (or Sulfur).
There will be an antichrist. He will attack Israel from the North, just like the prophets have written, with a mighty army coalition of specific nations. When this happens, we will know that the 7-year countdown has begun (at the ensuing truce talks in Israel, during the invasion).
“But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.”
(1 John 4:4, NLT)
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