AntiChrist

 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. 1 John 2:18 NAS

… it [ the Day of the Lord] will not come unless the  apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction [“the Antichrist”], who opposes and exalts himself above  every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-5 NAS

Lutheran Scholar Dr. R. C. H. Lenski: The fact that this apostasy will occur in the Christian Church is beyond question; it would otherwise not be an “apostasy.” This man does not merely “come” as does the apostasy. While he at first remains hidden, he at last gets “to be revealed” as what he really is. ... This Antichrist reveals himself as the Antichrist by this pagan act of seating himself in the true God's own sanctuary.

Both Daniel and Jesus make reference to this person who is commonly identified as the “Antichrist.”

He is most often identified by his particular character and activity that is associated with the time of “Great Tribulation” and his persecution of the “saints.”

Jesus quotes Daniel concerning the event that Apostle Paul references in 2 Thessalonians 2.3-5.

Jesus references Daniel concerning the same event that Paul referenced:

Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ... For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. Matthew 24:15-22 NKJ

Several places in Daniel speak of the future “abomination of desolation” in the “holy place,” and the period that follows is the specific time of “great tribulation.”

He [the antichrist] will confirm [strengthen] a covenant with many for one week [7 years]. But in the middle of that week [7 years] he [antichrist] will bring sacrifices and offerings to a halt. On the wing of abominations [in the temple] will come one who destroys, until the decreed end is poured out on the one who destroys. Daniel 9:27 NKJ

And one week [ 7 years] shall establish the covenant with many: and in the midsts of the week [7 years] my sacrifice and drink offering shall be taken away:

and on the temple shall be the abomination of desolations; and at the end of the time an end shall be put to the desolation. Daniel 9:27 Septuagint

At that time [the time of the end] Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people [Israel]; and there shall be a time of trouble [tribulation], such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people [Israel] shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book. Daniel 12:1

Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase. ... And one said ... "How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?"   Then I heard ... it shall be for a time, times, and half a time [ 3 ½ years]; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished. Daniel 12:4-7

And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days [beyond the 3 ½ years]. Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. Daniel 12:11-12

After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. I was considering the horns, and there was another horn [the Antichrist], a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words. Daniel 7:7-8

I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn [the Antichrist] was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. Daniel 7:11-12

Then I [Daniel] wished to know the truth about the fourth beast … and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn [the Antichrist] which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows. I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, until the Ancient of Days [God the Father] came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom. Daniel 7:19-22

The fourth beast shall be A fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all other kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, trample it and break it in pieces. The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom. And another [the Antichrist] shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, And shall subdue three kings. He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time [3 ½ years, the great tribulation] But the court shall be seated, and they shall take away his dominion [the Antichrist], to consume and destroy it forever. Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His [Christ] kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him [Christ]. Daniel 7:23-27

Daniel prophesied of a “little horn” that could be the future Antichrist or one named “Antiochus IV Epiphanes,” who rose up from one of the 4 ruling families after the death of Alexander the Great of the Grecian Empire. Antiochus was certainly a foreshadowing of the future Antichrist, and if Antiochus is in view, the prophecy seems to transition from him to Antichrist.

as I [Daniel] was considering, suddenly a male goat [Greece] came from the west, across the surface of the whole earth, without touching the ground; and the goat had a notable horn [Alexander the Great] between his eyes. Then he came to the ram [Persia] that had two horns [Medo-Persian Empire], which I had seen standing beside the river, and ran at him with furious power. And I saw him confronting the ram; he was moved with rage against him, attacked the ram, and broke his two horns. There was no power in the ram to withstand him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled him; and there was no one that could deliver the ram from his hand. Therefore the male goat [Greece, Alexander the Great] grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn was broken [Alexander the Great died], and in place of it four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven. And out of one of them came a little horn [Antiochus IV Epiphanes / the Antichrist] which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered. Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, "How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?" And he said to me, "For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed" [Hanukkah, the cleansing of the second temple, or the Millennial Temple consecrated]. Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, "Gabriel, make this man understand the vision." So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, "Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end." Daniel 8:5-17

And in his place shall arise a vile person [Antiochus IV], to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue. ... forces shall be mustered by him [Antiochus IV], and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue. And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.

Then the king [the Antichrist] shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain.

At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him [the Antichrist]; and the king of the North[the Antichrist] shall come against him [the king of the South] like a whirlwind... He [the Antichrist] shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown... He [the Antichrist] shall stretch out his hand against the countries... But news from the east and the north shall trouble him [the Antichrist]; therefore he [the Antichrist] shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. And he [the Antichrist] shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he [the Antichrist] shall come to his end, and no one will help him. Daniel 11:21, 31-45

The end of the Antichrist will be at the end of “the time of the end,” being the end of the 3 ½ years of the 7 year period known as the “70^th Week of Daniel.” The Scriptures also speak of that 3 ½ years as “42 months,” 1260 days, and “time, times, and half a time.” Daniel chapter 12:11-12 gives some extra days beyond 1260, being 1290 and 1335 days; these extra days are not explained, but could have to do with the time of Israel's restoration in the land and judgment of the nations.

The end of the Antichrist at the end of the time will be by the coming of Christ. Apostle Paul says that after the Antichrist is revealed, by his acts in the holy place, he will be destroyed by the coming of Christ.

He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one [the Antichrist] will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one [the Antichrist] is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12

The Antichrist is the “beast” of Revelation chapter 13 who will have a mortal wound that is healed. He is part of the larger 7-headed beast that has 10 horns, being one of its heads. There is a connection between this 7-headed beast and the beast of Daniel chapter 7 where we read about a fourth beast that had 10 horns and a little horn, being the Antichrist. The beast of Revelation 13 has the same character and role mentioned concerning the “little horn” of Daniel who persecutes the saints of God.

I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast [the Antichrist]. So they worshiped the dragon [Satan] who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" And he [the Antichrist] was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. Revelation 13:1-10

The “strong delusion” and the “working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders” that Apostle Paul wrote about that causes the non-believers to be deceived and follow the Antichrist will be through another “beast” called the “false prophet.” This false prophet will work signs in the presence of the Antichrist to cause the world to follow the Antichrist.

Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast [the Antichrist] in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast [the Antichrist], telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast [the Antichrist] who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast [the Antichrist], or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. Revelation 13:11-18

The Antichrist is the 7^th head of the 7-headed, 10-horned beast of Revelation 13. The Apostle John wrote that 5 of the kings represented by 5 of the heads had fallen, and the 6^th head was in power. These heads represent Mediterranean-world authorities kingdoms and kings. The 7^th head would be a future kingdom/ king. John writes that the 7^th head would also be the 8^th head. I understand this as 2 phases to the 7^th head of the beast. The first phase is for a short time, probably the first half of the 70^th Week of Daniel. After the mortal head wound is healed, the transition to phase 2 takes place. The 8^th head would be phase 2 beginning with the abomination of desolation in the Temple that starts the “Great Tribulation” and persecution of the saints.

John also writes about the “great harlot” or “woman” that rides on the 7-headed beast. The woman is “Babylon the Great.” The “woman” rides on the 7-headed beast and benefits from and reigns over the 7-headed beast. Her identity is not certain, but she is identified as a great city from which the merchants and kings of the earth have benefit. John writes about the 7 heads of the beast plus an eighth head:

Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other [the Antichrist] has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. The beast [the Antichrist] that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth [phase 2, the mortal wound healed], and is of the seven, and is going to perdition. The ten horns [The same 10 horns of the fourth beast of Daniel 7] which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast [the Antichrist]. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast [the Antichrist].

These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful." Then he said to me, “the waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast [the Antichrist], until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth." Revelation 17:9-18

(I have written more about the 7 heads of the beast and the 8th head on my 2020, December date.   See jsonb: The 8th Head of the 7-headed beast  )

The Antichrist will come to his end, along with the false prophet, at the coming of Christ at the end of the “time of the end” or “the great tribulation” period, being the end of the 3 ½ year period, the second half of the “70^th Week of Daniel.”

Christ comes back with his angelic army to make war against the nations that have gathered for battle for Jerusalem, and he defeats those nations and the Antichrist and his false prophet. The 6^th bowl of Revelation prepares the way for this great battle at the Second Coming of Christ--which is the “Day of the Lord” judgment, being God's wrath and judgment on the nations of the earth. The Antichrist and the false prophet are cast into the Lake of fire, while the rest will be judged after the 1000 year reign of Christ.

12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame." 16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. Revelation 16:12-16

9 Proclaim this among the nations: "Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, Let all the men of war draw near, Let them come up. 10 Beat your plowshares into swords And your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'" 11 Assemble and come, all you nations, And gather together all around. Cause Your mighty ones to go down there, O LORD. 12 "Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. 13 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; For the winepress is full, The vats overflow— For their wickedness is great." 14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and moon will grow dark, And the stars will diminish their brightness. 16 The LORD also will roar from Zion, And utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and earth will shake; But the LORD will be a shelter for His people, And the strength of the children of Israel. Joel 3:9-16

"Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. 3 And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. 4 In that day," says the LORD, "I will strike every horse with confusion, and its rider with madness; I will open My eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. 5 And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, 'The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the LORD of hosts, their God.' 6 In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place—Jerusalem. Zechariah 12:2-6

1 Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, And your spoil will be divided in your midst. 2 For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; The city shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3 Then the LORD will go forth And fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle. 4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south. 5 Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee As you fled from the earthquake In the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Thus the LORD my God will come, And all the saints with You. Zechariah 14:1-5

¹¹ Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. ¹² His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. ¹³ He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. ¹⁴ And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. ¹⁵ Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. ¹⁶ And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. Revelation 19:11-16

¹⁷ Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, "Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, ¹⁸ that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great." ¹⁹ And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. ²⁰ Then the beast [the Antichrist] was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. ²¹ And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. Revelation 19:17-21