Who Is The Antichrist? A Biblical Prespective.

[TribulationSigns]

As I have witnessed in the church the Antichrist has been grossly misunderstood.

Satan is a spirit. And Antichrist is a spirit. More specifically, the spirit that works within the unsaved and opposes Christ in the church. The word itself even implies a pseudo-christ or a substitute Christ. It illustrates "a false Christ." Technically, the man of sin and Antichrist are not "exactly" the same, except that one (the spirit) works within the other. Antichrist is the spirit of Satan that opposes Christ, while the man of sin (the sinful man) is man with the spirit of Satan working within him. Just as the Spirit of God works within Christian, a "man unto lawfulness," so the spirit of Satan works within "man to lawlessness," or as is Biblically known, the man of sin. In other words, sin = lawlessness and the man who is lawless is he who forsakes God's laws. He is he that will come to rule in the church, not a single man, but every single man of sin (lawlessness). For example, the false prophets and christs roaming into the churches today!

He is called the man of lawlessness (or the man of sin) collectively simply because that is what he is. The unrighteous man as opposed to the righteous man (Proverbs 13:5). Thus the sinful or lawless man and the spirit of Antichrist are the same only as one resides within the other. Clearly, this is how Satan rules the kings of the earth, and this is how the Apostle Paul could declare that there were many Antichrists even in his day. Because Antichrist is the sinful man, of which there were many.

1st John 2:18-19

• "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.
• They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us."

There were many men, women, even children with the spirit of antichrist (men of sin) in Paul's day, and they were in the church, but fell away because they were not truly (sealed) of the Christ. They are the "many" but not chosen. They were of the spirit of the anti (in place of) Christ, and that is why the apostle Paul says "they were not truly of them and went out from them." They were not truly of the spirit of Christ, but of the spirit of the pseudo christ, which is why they chose to forsake the church.

Many Christians wonder how the prophecy can be that "Antichrist should come," if Paul says that he was already there at that time? The answer is simple, because the spirit of Satan was at work in the world within man deceiving (witnessed by Paul saying they went out from them) some even then, but Christ had also bound the spirit Satan by His cross that it was restrained in its power so that His church could be built by spoiling the Gentiles from the Gentiles/Nations (Satan's house/world). In other words, though Antichrist was going forth as a roaring lion deceiving some, he couldn't yet come in the fullness of his spiritual power to deceive the nations (Revelation 20) "until" after the period God says the nations were not to be deceived (Revelation 20:3) as the church was built in this millennial or 1000 year reign of Christ. This is when the "little horn" comes - a short season of fullness of spiritual power to deceive! Selah!

After the millennial reign of the nations being set free from spiritual bondage, THEN this spirit will be loosed from its chains to freely go forth to deceive the nations again and gather the wicked to assault the camp of the saints.

Another thing to take note of is the word "anti." In our day, the term anti is generally understood to mean to be against something or someone. But the literal Greek word [anti] in scripture more accurately denotes something that is 'in place of' another thing. As a substitute. True, it can rightly be translated 'anti' (as we might understand it) because by implication it can mean to be in opposition, and it is often used in that context. In other words, by extension it denotes that which is opposite by being set a substitute (in place of) the true. In this way it is a counterfeit set 'against' the original. For example, if we have something "in place of" the truth, it is a lie, right? Therefore those who believe in telling the truth, would be anti or opposed to lies. Or again, that which is "in place of justice" would be injustice. Therefore those who substitute injustice for justice are 'anti' or in opposition to justice. This is how this Greek word 'by extension' can mean anti. But its root meaning is "in place of" or as a substitute. a false Christ.

This word [anti] as applied to Christ is more clearly defining a substitute Christ, or that which is 'instead of' Christ. Therefore it is a synonym for "false Christ" or pseudo Christ, a substitute for the true. Those with the spirit of Antichrist are those who come as the church with the spirit of a false Christ. For example, the professing Christians who are NOT truly Christians or not truly saved. As the apostle Paul says (1st John 2:18-19), they went out from us "because" they were not of us. They did not have the Spirit of Christ in the first place which would truly make them one of them.

2nd Corinthians 11:13-15

• "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
• And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
• Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."

These are the ministers of Satan coming "appearing like ministers of Christ." They were the Antichrists or false Christs of Paul's day, as they are of our day! The difference is, pay attention to this, in the latter days, these are those that will multiply greatly or abound, and this will be near the time of Christ's return. Then will the Antichrist be "revealed" in ALL HIS POWER to deceive and gather together the Gentiles against the camp of the saints, the remnant of the church. Those men with the spirit of the pseudo Christ, who worship a substitute Christ in the spirit of disobedience so that the sinful man is then ruling in the Holy Temple (God's house) in place of God.

Sadly, the term "anti-Christ" as it is often understood to be "ONE" personage that is supposed to come, is a misnomer! The Bible defines it as the spirit that is prophesied to come, and yet was already in the world at the time the apostle Paul was inspired to write the text. That hardly qualifies as one man at all!

 

[TribulationSigns]

Some people may protest saying, "How was he (Antichrist) already there when the apostle Paul was writing, if he is TO COME?"

It is because though the power of that spirit Satan was bound or restrained so that the nations would not be deceived and Christ could build His church making up of people out of them, he was still allowed in the world. But understand this, he was only bound from thwarting the church from being gleaned from the nations during this millennial reign, or until the church finished its testimony (Revelation 11:7). An analogy would be that the spirit Satan was bound much like a dog might be bound by a great chain. The dog can roam freely only for as far as the chain is long, still he is restrained by that same chain from going any further than it allows. That is how Revelation 20 says Satan as bound with a spiritual chain for the sake of the nations/gentiles. But he is still allowed to roam and deceive SOME. In other words, he was bound for the sake of the church, those people God intended to seal has been sealed, NOT for the sake of the world. So once the church is completed, the testimony of God's witnesses is finished and the dog will be set loose from his chain. He will thus again deceive with FULL UNRESTRAINED POWER and gather the gentiles/nations to assault the camp of the saints. He will be used by God as a judgment for His church's rampant unfaithfulness and apostasy. When the New Testament church is completed, all Israel (Elect) will have been saved and Satan will be loosed to judge the unfaithful congregations - only those who have not yet sealed by God, Revelation 9:3-6. All of God's Israel will have been sealed or secured of God so that those who were redeemed cannot be harmed by him at that time.

Revelation 20:7-9

• "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
• And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
• And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them."

Remember in the first section of this chapter of Revelation 20 God specifically told us WHY Satan was bound in the first place. It was for "the sake of the nations/gentiles," that they would not be deceived and be able to be saved by hearing the Gospel. This is when the spirit of antichrist has been at work in a limited or restrained degree until the last Elect has been secured. But after all who are to be sealed with the name of God in their foreheads, after that task for this purpose is complete, we read that Satan's full power will be restored, but only for a "short season" (aka little horn), is again allowed to deceive the nations and gather them together against the very camp of the saints---where Satan will ultimately be defeated and judged.

Selah!

 

[TribulationSigns]

Many people thought that the man of lawlessness won't be revealed until the church must be raptured first to avoid the Great Tribulation. FALSE!

The only one who could restrain iniquity or lawlessness in the Holy Temple or the world is the Spirit of Christ - the Holy Spirit. The Body of Christ on earth prior to a rapture can't do it, the Word of God in the form of the Bible can't do it, nor can a faithful Preacher do it, the ONLY power to restrain iniquity/wickedness/lawlessness is the Holy Spirit. Every Christian should know that! The Spirit may use a preacher or use a church as a tool, but make no mistake, without the Holy Spirit, there is "no restraint" of iniquity. How can iniquity be restrained and the Spirit of God not done it? And that is all part of the mystery that is to be revealed. That God allows iniquity to exist in this world to His Own Glory, while restraining it enough so that His people might be saved. For example, it is HE that restraineth the power of Satan until He finish seal all of His People first through the testimony of Two Witnesses.

In point of fact, Scripture tells us that it was Christ who bound Satan. And that it will be Christ who looses or un-restrains Him. And not coincidentally, this binding and loosing coincides with this restraint and un-restraint, when the Man of sin/Lawless man takes a seat in the Holy Temple. It doesn't really take a P.hd. to figure out they are one and the same. The great mystery of Christ binding Satan and going to the Gentiles/Nations to save a remnant, and looses him once all that are to be saved are saved. Then and only then will the testimony of the witnesses be ended, and the Spirit removed from the church that iniquity abound, and the man of sin sit to rule there. That is when we can see the power of antichrist be revealed in many false prophets and christs as a sign that Christ's Second Coming is not far off!

 

[TribulationSigns]

Someone might protest that the passage doesn't say the Spirit will be taken out of the way:

2 Cor 2:7
"For the mystery of lawlessness already works; only (there is) he who restrains now u until he be gone,

The "he" says nothing about it being the Spirit

The answer is it doesn't have to say the Spirit restrained, anymore than it has to say Christ bound Satan. Still, they are both true facts of Scripture. We are expected to search the scriptures to find that thing concealed or hidden in mysteries. The honorable or honest of God's people will do that, while the dishonorable will be confounded and try to get around truth with superficiality. Because it is Spiritually discerned.

Proverbs 25:2

• "It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter."

God has hid these things in His word in mysteries or secrets to His glory, that we as kings and priests might have the privilege to honorably search them out. If you expect God to tell you everything of scripture plainly, you haven't been reading the same Bible as I have. God divinely inspired scripture written in mysteries. i.e., the passages in question:

2nd Thessalonians 2:6-9

• "And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
• 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:
• Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,"

The mystery of iniquity/wickedness was already at work. The mystery is that though it was still at work in the world and in the Holy Temple, yet it was being restrained until He who restrains it will be taken out of the way (or more literally midst or middle). When he is taken out of the midst, the man of sin will take a seat in the Holy temple. the whole chapter is explaining this coming loosing that wickedness be revealed in the Temple of God. Who could restrain wickedness in the world to have it released when He is removed from out of the middle?

And here in 2nd Thessalonians God clearly tells us that the wickedness/iniquity being spoken of is a mystery that will only be revealed at the time when He that letteth (restrains it), is taken out of the midst (middle). A mystery is a secret, something hidden that will be revealed.

Selah!

 

[Gottservant]

(In response to the OP). The easiest way to understand the anti-Christ is to picture a painting: the painting has many touches of paint on it, which make up the image, but if the canvas was not there, nothing would hold the painting up (the Holy Spirit holds the painting up). So the anti-Christ has different kinds of flesh (see Revelation), but the Holy Spirit resisting him keeps him together. If the Holy Spirit did not resist the anti-Christ, the anti-Christ would come to pieces. The time will come when the Holy Spirit stops resisting him, and he will fall in a heap (think of David facing Goliath, but instead of David hitting him with a stone, imagine David removing a stone).

 

[Truth7t7]

(In response to the OP). The easiest way to understand the anti-Christ is to picture a painting: the painting has many touches of paint on it, which make up the image, but if the canvas was not there, nothing would hold the painting up (the Holy Spirit holds the painting up). So the anti-Christ has different kinds of flesh (see Revelation), but the Holy Spirit resisting him keeps him together. If the Holy Spirit did not resist the anti-Christ, the anti-Christ would come to pieces. The time will come when the Holy Spirit stops resisting him, and he will fall in a heap (think of David facing Goliath, but instead of David hitting him with a stone, imagine David removing a stone).

Daniel's (Little Horn) Paul's (Man Of Sin) John's (The Beast) will be a future literal human man, a King/Ruler of Jewish/Hebrew descent, he will have a living body that will be cast into the lake of fire

 

[TribulationSigns]

(In response to the OP). The easiest way to understand the anti-Christ is to picture a painting: the painting has many touches of paint on it, which make up the image, but if the canvas was not there, nothing would hold the painting up (the Holy Spirit holds the painting up). So the anti-Christ has different kinds of flesh (see Revelation), but the Holy Spirit resisting him keeps him together. If the Holy Spirit did not resist the anti-Christ, the anti-Christ would come to pieces. The time will come when the Holy Spirit stops resisting him, and he will fall in a heap (think of David facing Goliath, but instead of David hitting him with a stone, imagine David removing a stone).

You do not make any sense here, sorry.

 

[TribulationSigns]

Daniel's (Little Horn) Paul's (Man Of Sin) John's (The Beast) will be a future literal human man, a King/Ruler of Jewish/Hebrew descent, he will have a living body that will be cast into the lake of fire

Daniel's Little Horn = Power for a short season. (not a single man)
Paul's Man of Sin = Anyone with the spirit of an antichrist (not a single man)
John's Beast = Kingdom of antichrists (not a single man)
There will be no future single human man by those labels.

All the spiritual bodies of the unbelievers will cast into the Lake of Fire. Not one body of one-man antichrist and one body of one-man false prophet.

Selah.

 

[tailgator]

Daniel's Little Horn = Power for a short season. (not a single man)
Paul's Man of Sin = Anyone with the spirit of an antichrist (not a single man)
John's Beast = Kingdom of antichrists (not a single man)
There will be no future single human man by those labels.

All the spiritual bodies of the unbelievers will cast into the Lake of Fire. Not one body of one-man antichrist and one body of one-man false prophet.

Selah.

Paul's man of sin is actually Daniel 11s king of the north .
Paul was referencing Daniel 11 when he was writing about the man of sin.


2 Thes 2
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.


Daniel 11
36 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.

37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.




This king of the north(man of sin) comes to his end at the time of the end when the dead are raised.See Daniel 11:45-12:2

 

[tailgator]

Daniel's Little Horn = Power for a short season. (not a single man)
Paul's Man of Sin = Anyone with the spirit of an antichrist (not a single man)
John's Beast = Kingdom of antichrists (not a single man)
There will be no future single human man by those labels.

All the spiritual bodies of the unbelievers will cast into the Lake of Fire. Not one body of one-man antichrist and one body of one-man false prophet.

Selah.

PS
The man of sin will give the little horn a host .Most likely this year.

 

[Marty fox]

As I have witnessed in the church the Antichrist has been grossly misunderstood.

Satan is a spirit. And Antichrist is a spirit. More specifically, the spirit that works within the unsaved and opposes Christ in the church. The word itself even implies a pseudo-christ or a substitute Christ. It illustrates "a false Christ." Technically, the man of sin and Antichrist are not "exactly" the same, except that one (the spirit) works within the other. Antichrist is the spirit of Satan that opposes Christ, while the man of sin (the sinful man) is man with the spirit of Satan working within him. Just as the Spirit of God works within Christian, a "man unto lawfulness," so the spirit of Satan works within "man to lawlessness," or as is Biblically known, the man of sin. In other words, sin = lawlessness and the man who is lawless is he who forsakes God's laws. He is he that will come to rule in the church, not a single man, but every single man of sin (lawlessness). For example, the false prophets and christs roaming into the churches today!

He is called the man of lawlessness (or the man of sin) collectively simply because that is what he is. The unrighteous man as opposed to the righteous man (Proverbs 13:5). Thus the sinful or lawless man and the spirit of Antichrist are the same only as one resides within the other. Clearly, this is how Satan rules the kings of the earth, and this is how the Apostle Paul could declare that there were many Antichrists even in his day. Because Antichrist is the sinful man, of which there were many.

1st John 2:18-19

• "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.
• They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us."

There were many men, women, even children with the spirit of antichrist (men of sin) in Paul's day, and they were in the church, but fell away because they were not truly (sealed) of the Christ. They are the "many" but not chosen. They were of the spirit of the anti (in place of) Christ, and that is why the apostle Paul says "they were not truly of them and went out from them." They were not truly of the spirit of Christ, but of the spirit of the pseudo christ, which is why they chose to forsake the church.

Many Christians wonder how the prophecy can be that "Antichrist should come," if Paul says that he was already there at that time? The answer is simple, because the spirit of Satan was at work in the world within man deceiving (witnessed by Paul saying they went out from them) some even then, but Christ had also bound the spirit Satan by His cross that it was restrained in its power so that His church could be built by spoiling the Gentiles from the Gentiles/Nations (Satan's house/world). In other words, though Antichrist was going forth as a roaring lion deceiving some, he couldn't yet come in the fullness of his spiritual power to deceive the nations (Revelation 20) "until" after the period God says the nations were not to be deceived (Revelation 20:3) as the church was built in this millennial or 1000 year reign of Christ. This is when the "little horn" comes - a short season of fullness of spiritual power to deceive! Selah!

After the millennial reign of the nations being set free from spiritual bondage, THEN this spirit will be loosed from its chains to freely go forth to deceive the nations again and gather the wicked to assault the camp of the saints.

Another thing to take note of is the word "anti." In our day, the term anti is generally understood to mean to be against something or someone. But the literal Greek word [anti] in scripture more accurately denotes something that is 'in place of' another thing. As a substitute. True, it can rightly be translated 'anti' (as we might understand it) because by implication it can mean to be in opposition, and it is often used in that context. In other words, by extension it denotes that which is opposite by being set a substitute (in place of) the true. In this way it is a counterfeit set 'against' the original. For example, if we have something "in place of" the truth, it is a lie, right? Therefore those who believe in telling the truth, would be anti or opposed to lies. Or again, that which is "in place of justice" would be injustice. Therefore those who substitute injustice for justice are 'anti' or in opposition to justice. This is how this Greek word 'by extension' can mean anti. But its root meaning is "in place of" or as a substitute. a false Christ.

This word [anti] as applied to Christ is more clearly defining a substitute Christ, or that which is 'instead of' Christ. Therefore it is a synonym for "false Christ" or pseudo Christ, a substitute for the true. Those with the spirit of Antichrist are those who come as the church with the spirit of a false Christ. For example, the professing Christians who are NOT truly Christians or not truly saved. As the apostle Paul says (1st John 2:18-19), they went out from us "because" they were not of us. They did not have the Spirit of Christ in the first place which would truly make them one of them.

2nd Corinthians 11:13-15

• "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
• And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
• Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."

These are the ministers of Satan coming "appearing like ministers of Christ." They were the Antichrists or false Christs of Paul's day, as they are of our day! The difference is, pay attention to this, in the latter days, these are those that will multiply greatly or abound, and this will be near the time of Christ's return. Then will the Antichrist be "revealed" in ALL HIS POWER to deceive and gather together the Gentiles against the camp of the saints, the remnant of the church. Those men with the spirit of the pseudo Christ, who worship a substitute Christ in the spirit of disobedience so that the sinful man is then ruling in the Holy Temple (God's house) in place of God.

Sadly, the term "anti-Christ" as it is often understood to be "ONE" personage that is supposed to come, is a misnomer! The Bible defines it as the spirit that is prophesied to come, and yet was already in the world at the time the apostle Paul was inspired to write the text. That hardly qualifies as one man at all!

There are only four verses in the entire bible that uses the word antichrist

1 John 2:18
18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.

1 John 2:22
22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son.

1 John 4:3
3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

2 John 1:7
I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

The thing is that the very same John who wrote these epistles also wrote the book of Revelation and didn't use the term antichrist one in the book of Revelation for a reason.

John in Revelation even describes the beast differently from the antichrist and also gives the beast a different purpose thus they are not the same beings

 

[Truth7t7]

PS
The man of sin will give the little horn a host .Most likely this year.

Oh Sure, Smiles!

 

[Truth7t7]

Daniel's Little Horn = Power for a short season. (not a single man)

The same future bad guy Daniel's (Little Horn) Paul's (Man Of Sin) John's (The Beast) will be a future literal human man, a King/Ruler of Jewish/Hebrew descent, he will have a living body that will be cast into the lake of fire

Your claim above is "False", the little horn will be a man that has a physical individual body that will be destroyed and given to the lakeof fire at the final judgement

Daniel 7:10-11KJV
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

Paul's Man of Sin = Anyone with the spirit of an antichrist (not a single man)

Your claim is "False" the future Man Of Sin will be a human man described by first person pronouns "He" "Himself" who will be destroyed at the second coming

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 & 8-9KJV
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.

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,

John's Beast = Kingdom of antichrists (not a single man)

Your claim is "False" The Beast will be a human man, the number of "A Man" "His Number"

Revelation
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

The Beast will have a physical living body that will be cast alive into the lake of fire with the false prophet

Revelation 19:20KJV
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

 

[covenantee]

This word [anti] as applied to Christ is more clearly defining a substitute Christ, or that which is 'instead of' Christ.

Is this an antichrist?

1. “All the names which in the Scripture are applied to Christ, by virtue of which it is established that He is over the church, all the same names are applied to the Pope.” Robert Cardinal Bellarmine, De Conciliorum Auctoriatate (On the Authority of the Councils) Bk 2, chap. 17
2. “The pope is of so great dignity and so exalted that he is not mere man, but as it were God, and the vicar of God. He is the divine monarch and supreme emperor, and king of kings. Hence the pope is crowned with a triple crown, as King of heaven and of earth and of the lower regions.” Lucius Ferraris, Prompta Bibliotheca, vol.6, art. “Papa II”
3. “We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty.” Pope Leo XIII, in an encyclical letter dated June 20, 1894, The Great Encyclical Letters of Leo XIII, p. 304.

 

[Spiritual Israelite]

As I have witnessed in the church the Antichrist has been grossly misunderstood.

Satan is a spirit. And Antichrist is a spirit. More specifically, the spirit that works within the unsaved and opposes Christ in the church. The word itself even implies a pseudo-christ or a substitute Christ. It illustrates "a false Christ." Technically, the man of sin and Antichrist are not "exactly" the same, except that one (the spirit) works within the other. Antichrist is the spirit of Satan that opposes Christ, while the man of sin (the sinful man) is man with the spirit of Satan working within him. Just as the Spirit of God works within Christian, a "man unto lawfulness," so the spirit of Satan works within "man to lawlessness," or as is Biblically known, the man of sin. In other words, sin = lawlessness and the man who is lawless is he who forsakes God's laws. He is he that will come to rule in the church, not a single man, but every single man of sin (lawlessness). For example, the false prophets and christs roaming into the churches today!

He is called the man of lawlessness (or the man of sin) collectively simply because that is what he is. The unrighteous man as opposed to the righteous man (Proverbs 13:5). Thus the sinful or lawless man and the spirit of Antichrist are the same only as one resides within the other. Clearly, this is how Satan rules the kings of the earth, and this is how the Apostle Paul could declare that there were many Antichrists even in his day. Because Antichrist is the sinful man, of which there were many.

1st John 2:18-19

• "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.
• They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us."

There were many men, women, even children with the spirit of antichrist (men of sin) in Paul's day, and they were in the church, but fell away because they were not truly (sealed) of the Christ. They are the "many" but not chosen. They were of the spirit of the anti (in place of) Christ, and that is why the apostle Paul says "they were not truly of them and went out from them." They were not truly of the spirit of Christ, but of the spirit of the pseudo christ, which is why they chose to forsake the church.

Many Christians wonder how the prophecy can be that "Antichrist should come," if Paul says that he was already there at that time? The answer is simple, because the spirit of Satan was at work in the world within man deceiving (witnessed by Paul saying they went out from them) some even then, but Christ had also bound the spirit Satan by His cross that it was restrained in its power so that His church could be built by spoiling the Gentiles from the Gentiles/Nations (Satan's house/world). In other words, though Antichrist was going forth as a roaring lion deceiving some, he couldn't yet come in the fullness of his spiritual power to deceive the nations (Revelation 20) "until" after the period God says the nations were not to be deceived (Revelation 20:3) as the church was built in this millennial or 1000 year reign of Christ. This is when the "little horn" comes - a short season of fullness of spiritual power to deceive! Selah!

After the millennial reign of the nations being set free from spiritual bondage, THEN this spirit will be loosed from its chains to freely go forth to deceive the nations again and gather the wicked to assault the camp of the saints.

Another thing to take note of is the word "anti." In our day, the term anti is generally understood to mean to be against something or someone. But the literal Greek word [anti] in scripture more accurately denotes something that is 'in place of' another thing. As a substitute. True, it can rightly be translated 'anti' (as we might understand it) because by implication it can mean to be in opposition, and it is often used in that context. In other words, by extension it denotes that which is opposite by being set a substitute (in place of) the true. In this way it is a counterfeit set 'against' the original. For example, if we have something "in place of" the truth, it is a lie, right? Therefore those who believe in telling the truth, would be anti or opposed to lies. Or again, that which is "in place of justice" would be injustice. Therefore those who substitute injustice for justice are 'anti' or in opposition to justice. This is how this Greek word 'by extension' can mean anti. But its root meaning is "in place of" or as a substitute. a false Christ.

This word [anti] as applied to Christ is more clearly defining a substitute Christ, or that which is 'instead of' Christ. Therefore it is a synonym for "false Christ" or pseudo Christ, a substitute for the true. Those with the spirit of Antichrist are those who come as the church with the spirit of a false Christ. For example, the professing Christians who are NOT truly Christians or not truly saved. As the apostle Paul says (1st John 2:18-19), they went out from us "because" they were not of us. They did not have the Spirit of Christ in the first place which would truly make them one of them.

2nd Corinthians 11:13-15

• "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
• And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
• Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."

These are the ministers of Satan coming "appearing like ministers of Christ." They were the Antichrists or false Christs of Paul's day, as they are of our day! The difference is, pay attention to this, in the latter days, these are those that will multiply greatly or abound, and this will be near the time of Christ's return. Then will the Antichrist be "revealed" in ALL HIS POWER to deceive and gather together the Gentiles against the camp of the saints, the remnant of the church. Those men with the spirit of the pseudo Christ, who worship a substitute Christ in the spirit of disobedience so that the sinful man is then ruling in the Holy Temple (God's house) in place of God.

Sadly, the term "anti-Christ" as it is often understood to be "ONE" personage that is supposed to come, is a misnomer! The Bible defines it as the spirit that is prophesied to come, and yet was already in the world at the time the apostle Paul was inspired to write the text. That hardly qualifies as one man at all!

Good post. John did not say there was an individual Antichrist coming as many falsely believe. He pointed out that there are many antichrists and that anyone who denies Jesus is an antichrist. It was the spirit of antichrist that was said to be coming and it had come already when John was writing about antichrist. That spirit was in all of the many antichrists who were already in the world at that time.

The reference to "the man of sin" should be seen as a general reference to sinful mankind and is the opposite of "the man of God" that Paul wrote about here:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

In this passage "the man of God" is not an individual person, but represents any godly person who is "thoroughly furnished unto all good works" because of the scripture that "is given by the inspiration of God". In contrast to that, the man of sin represents each person who fits the description of the people who Paul described here:

2 Thessalonians 2:9 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.

 

[TribulationSigns]

There are only four verses in the entire bible that uses the word antichrist

1 John 2:18
18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.

1 John 2:22
22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son.

1 John 4:3
3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

2 John 1:7
I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

The thing is that the very same John who wrote these epistles also wrote the book of Revelation and didn't use the term antichrist one in the book of Revelation for a reason.

John in Revelation even describes the beast differently from the antichrist and also gives the beast a different purpose thus they are not the same beings

First, the beast is SYMBOLIC of the wicked ruling power OF FALSE PROPHETS AND CHRIST who have deceived the unsaved people of the congregation that God allowed them to give their kingdom (church) to the beast. Remember this is God's judgment on the unfaithful church where we can see the revelation of the SPIRIT of SATAN through MEN, not one man or one person.

Again, the beast signifies the antichrist kingdom that Satan powers, which of course is made up of MEN. Not one man. Symbolized as a beast because it is beastly, carnal, animalistic as being without reason and sanity as you can see many professed Christians have become today IN MANY CONGREGATIONS ALL OVER THE WORLD AS OF THIS WRITING!

 

[TribulationSigns]

The same future bad guy Daniel's (Little Horn) Paul's (Man Of Sin) John's (The Beast) will be a future literal human man, a King/Ruler of Jewish/Hebrew descent, he will have a living body that will be cast into the lake of fire

Good luck with that! There were many false prophets before you who have tried to predict a single antichrist since 1970's. You guys totally missed the point the Lord was talking about.

Your claim above is "False", the little horn will be a man that has a physical individual body that will be destroyed and given to the lakeof fire at the final judgement

Daniel 7:10-11KJV
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

Again, the horn signifies power in Scripture. Therefore the little horn is the rule or power of the unfaithful church having Satan sit to rule in THEIR church through the false prophets and christs near the end (actually it is happening right now).

Your claim is "False" the future Man Of Sin will be a human man described by first person pronouns "He" "Himself" who will be destroyed at the second coming

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 & 8-9KJV
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.

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,

Yes, the Man of Sin is human man. Not as one human man but EVERY HUMAN MAN - eg. false prophets and christs who claim to have power of God and rule the congregation. They are the one who came after the working (doctrine) of Satan. There are many false prophets and christs out there in the churches today, haven't you notice. Probably not if you have a narrow vision with a vain search for one man.

Your claim is "False" The Beast will be a human man, the number of "A Man" "His Number"

This is not what Scripture says. The transliteration in most Bibles might say "number of A man." The ORIGINAL reads the "number of Man". And no legitimate Bible scholar will deny that since there is NO ARTICLE "A" in the original manuscripts. It reads, "Let him that has understanding count the number of the beast, FOR it is the number of man." The point is that the imagery of the beast being the kingdom of UNSAVED MEN!

Revelation 19:20KJV
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

The body of the (first) beast make up of all unsaved people of the world. The body of the (second) beast (false prophet) makes up all the congregation's unsaved people. Both of these will be cast into the lake of fire on judgment day. And their SPIRIT of disobedience called "Satan", that old serpent will be cast along with them! Not one individual antichrist and one individual false prophet like Pope.

 

[TribulationSigns]

Good post.

Thank you.

John did not say there was an individual Antichrist coming as many falsely believe. He pointed out that there are many antichrists and that anyone who denies Jesus is an antichrist. It was the spirit of antichrist that was said to be coming and it had come already when John was writing about antichrist. That spirit was in all of the many antichrists who were already in the world at that time.

Exactly! It is the spirit of the antichrist or spirit of Satan to be coming when it shall be revealed AFTER Satan is loosened from the bottomless pit. It only refers to the power of Satan being increased many times which is why we see the proliferation of false prophets and christs in the churches all over the world and have deceived many people of the congregation who have not yet sealed of God.

The reference to "the man of sin" should be seen as a general reference to sinful mankind and is the opposite of "the man of God" that Paul wrote about here:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

In this passage "the man of God" is not an individual person, but represents any godly person who is "thoroughly furnished unto all good works" because of the scripture that "is given by the inspiration of God". In contrast to that, the man of sin represents each person who fits the description of the people who Paul described here:

2 Thessalonians 2:9 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.

Bingo! Man of sin (ALL antichrist - not one) v.s. Man of God (All Elect - not one). This is how God see every individual and label them as such.

 

[TribulationSigns]

The same future bad guy Daniel's (Little Horn) Paul's (Man Of Sin) John's (The Beast) will be a future literal human man, a King/Ruler of Jewish/Hebrew descent, he will have a living body that will be cast into the lake of fire

I also like to rephrase something here.

In Revelation 13:18, Scripture plainly says, "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of man." Please note though the transliteration in most Bibles might say "number of a man," that is not what the Scripture actually says. The original reads the number of man, and no legitimate Bible scholar will deny that since there is no article "a" in the original manuscripts. It actually reads, "Let him that has understanding count the number of the beast, for it is the number of man." And of course, this agrees seamlessly with this imagery of the Beast being the kingdom of unsaved man. Just as those who are servants of God receive the seal, mark or name of God Spiritually written on them, those who are servants of Satan receive his mark. We don't read that we have the name of "a" god written upon us, and it shouldn't. It should be the same for it is the number of man, not of "a man." When we read we are the children of God, the text is the same Greek construction. There shouldn't be children of a God.

Or again, look to Revelation chapter 12.

Revelation 12:3

• "And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads."

This Dragon is Satan, and note we see the same attributes as the Beast. Why? Because the beast is Satan personified! And again, we see Satan is represented with 7 heads and 10 horns exactly as the beast was. This episode of the Dragon with 7 heads and 10 horns in Revelation chapter 12 starts taking place before Christ (the man child) was even born and continues to after his death and resurrection. And so we can say unequivocally we understand that this beast with 7 heads and 10 horns represents the Kingdom of Satan as it exists throughout time and is NOT 7 individual physical kings on earth. FOr example, it represents Satan and his carnal messengers who fight against Christ and His messengers, and he and his horns and heads have been around since before the first advent of Christ! Our understanding of this has to be based on comparing God's words with God's words and not on man's fancies of individual earthly kingdoms, and earthly leaders or even one man. As Joseph rhetorically asked, "do not interpretations belong to God?" Indeed they do.

 

[Marty fox]

First, the beast is SYMBOLIC of the wicked ruling power OF FALSE PROPHETS AND CHRIST who have deceived the unsaved people of the congregation that God allowed them to give their kingdom (church) to the beast. Remember this is God's judgment on the unfaithful church where we can see the revelation of the SPIRIT of SATAN through MEN, not one man or one person.

Again, the beast signifies the antichrist kingdom that Satan powers, which of course is made up of MEN. Not one man. Symbolized as a beast because it is beastly, carnal, animalistic as being without reason and sanity as you can see many professed Christians have become today IN MANY CONGREGATIONS ALL OVER THE WORLD AS OF THIS WRITING!

This is how I see it,

John gives both the antichrist and the beast different names, descriptions and purposes for a reason.

The Antichrist is shown as an deceptive spirit who was more than one had already came and whose purpose it is to show that Jesus is not the Christ or sent from God. During Johns day it was the perfect description and an evil spiritual demonic being influencing apostate Israel mainly its leaders.

The beast is self-glorifying, evil concuror and persecutor of the church. Two completely different demonic beings.

In Johns day the beast was the perfect description of an evil demonic being influencing Rome and its leaders mainly Nero.

A single person can't be o"nce was now is not and yet will come out of the Abyss" or have "seven heads who 5 have come one is and another yet will come only for a short while".

Daniel chapter 10 gives us insite to demonic beings influencing nations and their leaders.