One of the limitations of Twitter is the fact that there are a limited number of characters one can use in a tweet.    Conversations are limited to one short sentence at a time.  This makes it difficult to qualify, even the context, in which comments are made.

Here is an example of a tweet that was a response to one of mine.

There is so much going on here, it is difficult to know where to start.  We could start with the fact that the New Testament was written entirely in upper-case characters.

Remember, when the bible says to “compare spiritual with spiritual” (1 Corinthians 2:13) it is saying that we need to compare Scripture with Scripture.

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.  I John 2:18

First of all, notice that the first time the word “antichrist” is used in the bible it is in the singular.  You can see this without having a capital “A” at the start of the word.

What we see here is that, while there is one Antichrist, there are many antichrists.  When John said that there are many antichrists, he was not denying that there shall be one, final, personal Antichrist.

Something else you should notice is that the term “antichrist” was used verbally in the Church before it was included in Scripture.  We are not privy to those conversations, so we do not know exactly what was said.  All we can do is go through Scripture and try to understand what is meant by this term, and to whom it refers.

The Greek prefix “anti” has the meaning of “being against” but it also has the meaning of “being in the place of”.  So, the person referred to as the Antichrist is not only one who is against Christ, but is someone who declares himself to be in the place of Christ himself.

John defines antichrist thusly, as Patricia pointed out; “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.” I John 2:22

The Antichrist is a person who denies that Jesus is the Christ, because he claims that he is the Christ, himself.  This is also the definition of any antichrist; any person who denies the Son of God… any person who denies that Jesus is the Christ.

Technically then, the Roman Catholic church would not fit John’s definition of an antichrist, or an antichrist religion.  The Roman Catholic church is adamant that Jesus is the Christ, and the son of God.  The problem is that while their words profess Christ, their actions deny Him!  When the pope calls himself the “vicar of Christ” he is actually declaring himself to be an antichrist, for the Latin word “vicar”, from which we get the English word “vicarius”, means “in the place of”, exactly the same as the Greek “anti”.

When Catholic priests perform the mass, which they call an “unbloody sacrifice” of Christ, they are denying the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.  When they say that Christ’s sacrifice was sufficient to save, but that you have to add your own good works in order to stay saved, they are denying the sufficiency of Christ.  This is a denial of the Son and of the Father.

By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.  Hebrews 10:10

Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Romans 4:6

One’s eschatology, can also amount to a denial of Jesus Christ; If you say that “Jesus cannot return until the Church takes over the world”, you are saying that Jesus cannot form the kingdom of God on earth by Himself.  You are saying that He is powerless without the Church, and depends on it.  This eschatology is typical of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as many protestants, and the New Apostolic Reformation.  While they declare Christ with their words, their eschatology is a denial of the Son of God.

Now, back to the Antichrist; Is there someone in the bible who fits the description of someone who not only is against Christ, but who also would put himself in the place of Christ?

And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Daniel 11:36

Someone who exalts himself above every god, including the God of gods, is exactly the type of person who would be called an “antichrist”.  Indeed this is the Antichrist.
The little horn of Daniel 8:9 is the prototype of the Antichrist.  This was the man known as Antiochus Epiphanes, a man who had the inscription on his coins “Theos Epiphanes”, or “God Manifest”.

Coins from the Greek/Seleucid ruler, Antiochus Epiphanes

Antiochus was also the man who slaughtered a pig on the altar in the Temple of Jerusalem, which is a type of the abomination of desolation Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24:15, and elaborated on in Revelation 13:14-15;

14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.  15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

Is this person spoken of in other parts of the bible?  Of course he is;

12 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!  13 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:  14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.  15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.  16 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; Isaiah 14:12-16

Wikipedia has this to say about the translation of heylel as Lucifer;

Lucifer (/ˈluːsɪfər/ or /ˈljuːsɪfər/) is the King James Version rendering of the Hebrew word הֵילֵל in Isaiah 14:12.[1] This word, transliterated hêlêl[1] or heylel,[2] occurs only once in the Hebrew Bible[1] and according to the KJV-influenced Strong’s Concordance means “shining one, morning star, Lucifer”.[2] The word Lucifer is taken from the Latin Vulgate,[3] which translates הֵילֵל as lucifer,[Isa 14:12][4][5] meaning “the morning star, the planet Venus”, or, as an adjective, “light-bringing”.[6] The Septuagint renders הֵילֵל in Greek as ἑωσφόρος[7][8][9][10][11] (heōsphoros),[12][13][14] a name, literally “bringer of dawn”, for the morning star.[15]

The person spoken of here is not Lucifer per-se, but a man who is indwelt by Lucifer, or Satan; the Antichrist.  Lucifer’s closest associate on earth.  Notice that verse 16 states that this person is a man.  Don’t spiritualize it to say that “it says man, but really means an angel”. If it says “man” it really means a descendant of Adam.

Verses 21-22 indicate that he has sons and nephews, which the Lord will also destroy with him.  Lucifer has no nephews, and while it could be said that the Antichrist is the son of Satan, he is an adopted son, and not genetically related.  Satan has many adopted sons, but no natural descendants.

So much for the idea that the Antichrist is gay.

Notice though that this man is an antichrist in the sense that he is like the literal definition of the term; he desires to be like the most high.  In fact the Isaiah account also compares him to Christ in a very direct way;

18 All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.  19 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. 20 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. Isaiah 14:18-20

The king of Babylon, of Isaiah 14, is resurrected like “an abominable branch”.

The Branch is one of the terms for the messiah Jesus, throughout the Old Testament, and He was raised from the dead.  This person is so evil that his resurrection is called an abomination.  Many have speculated that the Beast of Revelation’s resurrection is a trick, but this passage indicates that it is genuine; God allows Satan the power to raise this one man, as a trap for those who have rejected the resurrection of the Son of God.

As he is raised from the dead, he will demand worship, and the world will fall to its knees!

Could God entrap people?  Yes!  Everything you need to avoid being trapped by the Antichrist, is there in the bible.  All you need is to read it and believe it!

If you don’t believe the word of God, you will believe your eyes when the world leader is resurrected from the dead, and you will be destroyed for it!

1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,  2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.  3 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;  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, shewing himself that he is God. 5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?  6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.  7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.  8 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:  9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.  11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:  12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-9

Is there any other place in Scripture where someone is said to lift himself up as being above God?  If there is I am pretty sure it is a reference to the same person.

Yes, it is God who will send the strong delusion, which will include Antichrist’s miracles, and his resurrection.  You were created for God’s glory, and you will glorify Him regardless of whether you follow the Antichrist, or Christ!  Either way, God has a place for you!  Just in case you’re wondering, it is not the same place!  Hell is a very real place, and so is Heaven.  Only those who receive Jesus the Son of God, go to Heaven.

So, the Beast of Revelation, is also called “another Little Horn”, the Son of Perdition, the king of Babylon, The Man of Sin, The Assyrian, “that Wicked”, and The Antichrist.  The early Church was speaking about this man, by the use of this term, without any mention in Scripture up to that time, and were not incorrect to do so.  John was not correcting them, but broadening the term to include all who deny Jesus is the Christ.  After all, all generations of the Church age have to deal with antichrists, but only the last generation has to deal with the Antichrist himself.

Some people, and I think Patricia Burns is among them, don’t like the use of the term “the Antichrist” to denote the Beast of Revelation, simply because the bible does not specifically say that this is the same person, but not only does the title fit, it fits him best of all!  In fact, careful scrutiny of many passages reveals that this is indeed the same person.

Dan Knezacek