The Life and Times of the Antichrist Part 1

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE ANTICHRIST

PART 1

The end-times world leader known by many as the antichrist is not actually called the antichrist in the Bible. In the book of the Revelation he is called the beast.  Other places in Scripture he is referred to as “the man of sin”, “the son of perdition”, “the lawless one”, and in Daniel he is denoted as the “little horn”. The word “antichrist” can be found in the letters of John depicting a person who is opposed to Christ or teaches divergent doctrines to those of Christ.

Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.  (1 John 2:22 KJV)

The end times man of sin (or beast) will be the ultimate antichrist in all capacities, but he will be much more than that.

The Old Testament is, essentially, an historically Israelite collection of writings. The New Testament is somewhat Israelite in nature, but the good news is that the new covenant not only concerned Judeans, but particularly the Gentiles of the world. The Old Testament prophecies concerning God’s wrath, as it appears in the trumpet and bowl judgments of the Revelation, usually run parallel with God’s judgment concerning one of Israel’s physical enemies of the surrounding area. Therefore it would be justified to say that the tribulation period and God’s wrath will deal with the entire world but will be centered principally with Israel and that the antichrist or beast along with the events in the book of Revelation will also be focused on Israel although the entire planet will be affected.

For this post I propose that the antichrist will be Jewish or at least disguise himself and pretend to be Judean in some manner.  It is also fairly certain that the AC must have a pedigree from the tribe of Judah and be of the linage of kings David and Solomon.

The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.   (Genesis 49:10 KJV)

Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.    (1 Chronicles 22:9-10 KJV)

 Many of the early church writers considered the AC to be a Judean. Polycarp was a disciple of John although he didn’t leave much written material behind. Polycarp’s disciples Hippolytus and Iraneus wrote that the AC would be a Judean.

Christ arose from among the Hebrews, and he [the Antichrist] will spring from among the Jews.

For in every respect that deceiver seeks to make himself appear like the Son of God.… The Saviour was circumcised, and he [the Antichrist] in like manner will appear in circumcision.

Pseudo-Hippolytus of Rome (1886). A Discourse by the Most Blessed Hippolytus, Bishop and Martyr, on the End of the World, and on Antichrist, and on the Second Coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ, S. D. F. Salmond, trans. In A. Roberts , J. Donaldson & A. C. Coxe (eds.), The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume V: Fathers of the Third Century: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Novatian, Appendix (A . Roberts, J. Donaldson & A. C. Coxe, eds.) (247). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company.

Jesus was not accepted by the Jewish leadership of his day, but He indicated that if another came who met the Jewish credentials, he would be received.

 “I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive” (John 5: 43).

The antichrist will endeavor to meet those Jewish prerequisites:  a linage from the tribe of Judah, king David, and king Solomon; reinstitute the sacrificial system; be a conqueror for the benefit of Israel; and the return of all Jews to Israel.  First, he will reinstitute the sacrificial system which will only last for seven years because that is the amount of time that God has allotted to the antichrist. In the middle of the seven years he will cause the daily sacrifice to stop and declare himself to be God or the messiah-god.

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:27 KJV)

And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. (Revelation 13:12 KJV)

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.   (2 Thessalonians 2:4 KJV)

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)   (Matthew 24:15 KJV)

Today, the Jewish people expect the supposed messiah to reinstitute the sacrificial system by referring to Jeremiah 31:31.

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: (Jeremiah 31:31 KJV)

The Jewish author, Uri Yosef, PhD, relates in a treatise entitled “Will the Real New Covenant Please Stand Up?” with “It is evident that Jeremiah’s use of the term שׁהָ דָחֲ ריתִבְּ , a new covenant, does not involve the replacement of the Torah by the New Testament . Rather, it signals a renewal of the original Sinai Covenant.”

JewsForJudaism.org states: “Jeremiah’s‘new covenant ’ is not a replacement of the existing covenant, but merely a figure of speech expressing the reinvigoration and revitalization of the existing covenant.”

Most Christians of today recognize Jeremiah 31:31 as referring to the New Testament covenant  generated by the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.

Secondly he will conquer countries surrounding Israel that are considered  enemies of Israel.  This will facilitate expanding Israel’s land mass to approximate the kingdom area during the reign of David.  The followers of Jesus were looking for a conquering hero to rid themselves of the Romans and extend their land mass.  The antichrist will attempt to approach similar expectations for the nation of Israel.

And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. (Daniel 11:40-44 KJV)

Daniel chapter 11 relates that he will conquer in the North and in the South. It says that he will enter Israel but whether he actually conquers Israel or just passes through is uncertain.  He may possibly secure the Gaza strip, Golan area, and east Jerusalem.   Some areas such as Edom, Moab, and Ammon will momentarily escape him. He will conquer and plunder Egypt, Libya, and Ethiopia, but news from the East causes him to go that direction and destroy many areas (currently unknown).  Daniel 11:45 states that he will set up his headquarters around Jerusalem.

And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas (Mediterranean and Dead sea) in the glorious holy mountain; (Daniel 11:45 KJV)

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see also:  Jewish Expectations of a Messiah