 ANTICHRIST’S IDENTITY Anti-Christ Who Is He Revelation 6:12 and the moon became as blood
ANTICHRIST’S IDENTITY
General description
Scripture teaches Antichrist to be a political, religious, individual, yet to come in the future (as of this writing), who is opposed to God and God’s Christ and God’s church. Although the only places in Scripture the name Antichrist is used are I and II John (I John 2:18,22,4:3, II John 7), the Bible is replete with instruction regarding the reality we call Antichrist. The key passages are Daniel 7, 8, 11; Matthew 24; II Thessalonians 2; and Revelation 13, 17 and 18 — where Antichrist is referred to as a beast, a little horn, a false Christ, that wicked one, and the man of sin.
The Antichrist!–also described in the Bible as the “son of perdition” & the “beast“!
Antichrist is a false Christ, according to Matthew 24:24. He claims to be anointed by God with the Holy Spirit and claims to be qualified to do the work in God’s name of redeeming God’s people and renewing the creation. But he is not. He is a liar. His claims are false. He is a false Christ.
 ANTICHRIST’S CERTAIN DESTRUCTION
Like Hitler, who was one of history’s antichrist archetypes, he will have great charisma & speaking ability, “a mouth speaking great things”.
The Antichrist will rise to power on a wave of world euphoria, as he temporarily saves the world from its desperate economic, military & political problems with a brilliant 7-year plan for world peace, economic stability & religious freedom.
The Antichrist could well rise out of the current chaos in the former Soviet Union. The prophet Ezekiel names him as the ruler of “Magog”, a name that Biblical scholars agree denotes a country or region of peoples to the north of Israel. Many have interpreted this to mean modern day Russia. His power base will include the leading nations of Europe, whose leaders, the Bible says, will “give their power & strength unto the beast.”
The Bible even gives some clues about his personal characteristics. The prophet Daniel wrote that the Antichrist “does not regard the desire of women.” This could imply that he is either celibate or a homosexual. Daniel also tells us that he will have a “fierce countenance” or stern look, and will be “more stout than his fellows”–more proud and boastful.
 The 7-year peace-pact (or covenant) that is engineered by the Antichrist is spoken of a number of times in the Bible, & may even have already been signed in secret.
The historic peace agreement signed between Israel & the PLO at the White House on September 13, 1993, vividly illustrates how dramatically events in the Middle East are presently moving in this direction.
Under the final terms of the Covenant, Jerusalem will likely be declared an international city to which Judaism, Islam & Christianity will have equal rights. Scripture indicates that the Jews will be permitted to rebuild their Temple on Mt. Moriah, where they revive their ancient rituals of animal sacrifice.
According to prophecy the Antichrist will not only be a master of political intrigue, but also a military genius. Daniel describes several major wars that he fights during his 7-year reign, apparently against the U.S. & Israel, who will oppose him during the second half of his reign.
For awhile, most of the world is going to think the Antichrist is wonderful, as he will seem to have solved so many of the world’s problems. But , three-and-a-half years into his seven year reign he will break the covenant & invade Israel from the North.
At this time he will make Jerusalem his world capitol & outlaw all religions, except the worship of himself & his image. The Bible says that the Antichrist will sit in the Jewish Temple exalting himself as God & demanding to be worshipped.
It is at this time that the Antichrist imposes his infamous “666” one-world credit system…
Antichrist will succeed in deceiving many. By his earthly successes and charm, Antichrist will deceive millions. The ungodly world as well as many in the churches will fawn over him. Those who do not will not only be mocked, they will be killed.
And for that, the wicked will be damned. This is the teaching of II Thessalonians 2:10-12.
Even their deception is a judgment of God upon them; when Antichrist comes, God will send a strong delusion that they will believe a lie. The reason for this is that they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. They heard the gospel, understood the truth, but rejected it. They will perish with the Antichrist.
But in the end, Antichrist will be destroyed. God’s people will be saved by sovereign grace, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. And Antichrist will be destroyed.
The religious Antichristian empire will be destroyed by the political Antichristian empire. For a time he uses the whore; in the end he turns on her (Rev 17:16). The political empire breaks up into the battle of Armageddon: the kingdom of the beast (the Western, “Christianized” nations) against the kingdom of the east (the pagan, non-Christian nations). In the middle of that battle, Jesus Christ will return to destroy the Antichristian kingdom, consume Antichrist with the spirit of His mouth, destroy him with the brightness of His coming, and begin the judgment.
Jesus Christ reigns!
There will be no struggle by Jesus Christ with Antichrist. In moment of time, where the entire history of the world climaxes, Christ in an instant will destroy the man of sin.
Therefore, do not fear!
The truth of the Antichrist is dreadful. The church must suffer under him, too. But we are not to fear for a moment. And when you see the Antichrist in the future, be not in terror.
For in that darkest hour the world has ever known, we will be doing the same as we have all our lives, waiting “with uplifted heads” for the coming of Jesus Christ, Who will redeem us from all distress.
OPPOSE ANTICHRIST PRESENTLY
The critical danger for the church today is exactly the reality called Antichrist. There is a danger that the church, as it were, posts a lookout to scan the horizon for Antichrist, so that the lookout can warn the people of God when the enemy has arrived and sound the warning to give battle.
In the meantime the church is busy with its own legitimate work, but supposes that the Antichrist is of no danger presently. That is precisely what Antichrist wants the church to believe.
God’s call to His people is to oppose the Antichrist now. We are not saying here that the Christian’s calling is to be ready to oppose Antichrist when he comes, urgent as that calling is. We are saying that our calling and the calling that we urge you to carry out is this: Oppose the opposer of Jesus Christ presently. Not someday, but today.
It is possible to oppose him now, for he is present now. Before you race ahead to find us naming names, or identifying persons and churches, let us explain. I John 2:18 does not say, “Antichrist shall come” but “Antichrist comes….”
That is, there is a process of Antichrist coming all down through the history of this world.
This process involves the coming of many Antichrists (in the plural). Thus, Matthew 24 can warn of “false Christs” and can say that many shall come in Jesus’ name saying, “I am Christ.” This also explains how Paul can say in II Thessalonians 2 that the mystery of iniquity is working. Even as Paul wrote that letter, the mystery of iniquity was active in the world, preparing the way for the final Antichrist and his work.
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