What About the Antichrist?

Recently, a group called Heaven’s Gate joined the ranks of a number of other recent cults (the Order of the Solar Temple, the Branch Davidians, the followers of Jim Jones) who have sought to leave this world in search of a “better” place by means of suicide.

In response to the mass suicide, Time magazine ran a cover article in its April 7, 1997, issue entitled “Inside the Web of Death.” The reporters had this to say about groups like Heaven’s Gate: “As predicted, the approach of the year 2000 is coaxing all of the crazies out of the woodwork. They bring with them a twitchy hybrid of spirituality and pop obsession. Part Christian, part Asian mystic, part Gnostic, part X-files.” This article also pointed out that the Internet is a powerful tool that is being used to propagate this thinking in a way never thought possible—globally and instantaneously.

What does this all mean? It is clearly a sign of the times?

“And many false prophets will appear and lead many people astray.” (Matthew 24:11 NLT)

“But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach their destructive heresies about God and even turn against their Master who bought them. Theirs will be a swift and terrible end. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of them, Christ and His true way will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction is on the way” (2 Peter 2:1-3 NLT).

Clever Deceptions

Why do people buy into these crazy teachings? Don’t they know any better? The Bible tells us that in the last days, there will literally be a cult explosion—an ever-growing plethora of every belief system possible except the right one.

The Bible tells us that Satan will:

“Use every kind of wicked deception to fool those who are on their way to destruction because they refuse to believe the truth that would save them. So God will send great deception upon them, and they will believe all these lies. Then they will be condemned for not believing the truth and for enjoying the evil they do”
(2 Thess. 2:10-12 NLT).

You know something is popular when you start seeing the knock-offs or imitations. The Devil is not very original. He has always seen the value of copying something, and, in so doing, confusing the issue. It seems that whenever there is a genuine work of the Spirit of God, Satan will have his imitation.

Consider Pharaoh’s magicians, who were able to duplicate the miracles of Moses, such as the plague of blood in the Nile, and the plague of frogs (see Exodus 7-8).

Jesus told the parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:24-30). In the story, a man planted wheat in a field, but his enemy came at night and planted tares (or the darnel seed) in the same field. Initially, this tare looks just like the wheat. But as time goes by, it actually uproots the wheat and ultimately destroys it.

These days while God is working, the devil is planting his tares. When they are exposed, people say, “See—they are all hypocrites!” As Peter said, “Christ and his true way will be slandered” through this. Yet, the presence of so many imitations should actually prove that there is an Original.

Whatever we have as Christians, you can be sure that Satan has a counterfeit version:

• He has a false gospel that tells you that you can make up the rules as you go.
• Along with this false gospel comes a false hope. People think that because they have gone through a certain religious ritual, they are eternally secure.
• He has a false messiah. Satan always wanted the top job in heaven, and he has never gotten over losing his once exalted position. In these last days, he will thrust his imitation messiah—the Antichrist— on the world scene.

Overview of the Tribulation
Read Revelation 6:1-17

Hard Times for Planet Earth

This passage shows that planet Earth is headed for some hard times.

• Ecological disaster on a scale never known to man.
• Unprecedented famine, disease, and possibly nuclear war will sweep the planet, culminating in the war to end all wars—Armageddon.
• More than one billion people will lose their lives as Satan has his hey-day on this planet.
• Those who would have us cast off our moral restraints, who do not live by the standards God has set down in His Word for our protection, will finally have their way.

Were it not for the intervention of God Himself as He returns to reign, no one would survive! The tribulation, as this period is called, is well named. Jesus, knowing the severity of the coming tribulation period, described it as “unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive . . .” (Matthew 24:21-22a).

Revelation chapter six is an overview of the seven-year period beginning with the Antichrist and ending with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. This period is God’s final countdown for humanity, culminating in the personal, visible return of Jesus Christ to this earth.

Profile of the Antichrist 

Some have confused the rider of the white horse in verse two with Jesus, but the rider is actually the Antichrist.

For following his appearing is not a kingdom of righteousness, but a time of wickedness and sorrow. Masquerading as the Messiah, he wears a crown, while Jesus wears many crowns (Rev. 19:12). In the Greek translation, the crown worn by the rider of the white horse refers to the crown of victory worn by a conqueror. The crowns Jesus wears in Revelation 19 refer to crowns of royalty.

A Conqueror Bent on Conquest 

When a victor triumphantly entered a newly conquered kingdom, he would invariably ride a white horse. The Antichrist will deceitfully establish himself, then show his true colors.

This coming world leader, the Antichrist, will come at economically difficult times. There will be war in different parts of the world, and he—through some brilliant political moves along with an incredible charisma—will be able to do what no other has ever done: bring economic solidity to the world’s monetary system and bring world peace. Through peace, he will deceive many. He will even get the Jewish nation and the Arab nations to sign a peace treaty, paving the way for the long awaited third temple.

His accomplishments will be so spectacular, so far reaching and unprecedented, that many will hail him as the Messiah himself. But we are warned in Scripture that he is a deceiver.

The Man of Sin 

The Antichrist will be history’s vilest embodiment of sin and rebellion: “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that Day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness [sin] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction” (2 Thess. 2:3).

The Wicked One 

Scripture says, “And then the lawless [wicked] one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of His coming” (2 Thess. 2:8).

“Lawless one” can be translated “wicked.” The Antichrist totally opposes every law of God. Half way into his power play he will show his true colors, rebuilding the temple and committing the abomination of desolation (Daniel 12:11; Matt. 24:15). He will show himself to be a blood-thirsty dictator who will make Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Saddam Hussein look like lightweights in comparison.

Dictators rarely take over nations by brute force. Political or economic problems almost always pave the way for tyranny. This has already proven true in history. Rome set the precedent, seeking out nations who were in political and economic turmoil. They came with seemingly benevolent gestures, only to suppress them later and demand worship of Caesar.

Adolph Hitler did the same. In 1930, Germany was in desperate financial straits. Inflation was so bad, literally thousands of people were virtually starving. Communists stirred up riots in the streets, and there was general chaos.

Then Adolph Hitler came on the scene—a voice of authority in the midst of chaos. He spoke of a people of destiny and promised glories to come. But it was not meant to be.

Hitler was but a pale version of the Antichrist who will work through a revived Roman empire. For he, like the Romans and Hitler, will bring answers politically, militarily, and economically, and he will persecute Jews and Christians.

Satan’s Unholy Trinity 

The Antichrist will not act alone. He will have his side-kick, the false prophet: “Then the beast 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” (Rev. 19:20).

Here we see Satan’s unholy trinity: 

1. Satan, imitating God (and, for a short time, having the worship of people worldwide)
2. The Antichrist masquerading as the Son
3. The false prophet impersonating the Holy Spirit

The Work of the Antichrist

The Antichrist will create a new religious system. The Antichrist will bring about a new religious system that will accommodate everyone. We are currently in the midst of a cult explosion. Whether it be Dianetics, EST, goddess worship, reincarnation, astrology, holistic healing, or any of a hundred consciousness raising techniques of our day—the modern age is on a search for some mystical divine unity. The times are ripe for a world religion.

The Antichrist will harness the world’s economic system. Revelation 13:16-18 says,

“He required everyone—great and small, rich and poor, slave and free—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. Wisdom is needed to understand this. Let the one who has understanding solve the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666” (NLT). 

Modern Technology and the Last Days

Before computers were such a vital part of our lives, it was hard to imagine how this prophecy could be enforced. In our generation, we have seen the developments of all the parts of the electronic system necessary for one person to wield total economic control: credit cards, debit cards, smart cards, ATM, etc. Now we have supercomputers that are so fast, they can perform thousands of operations on each person’s files in the world every second.

Satellites can link the whole world together instantly, receiving unbelievable amounts of data simultaneously. Fiber optics make the wires that service our homes and computers able to carry thousands of conversations, video images, and data transfers at the same time. The Internet links large and small businesses around the globe together instantly. In addition, we all have several numbers assigned to us (Social Security, driver’s license number, etc.) that enable people to easily access our records.

Modern technology has made it possible for the Antichrist to do what the Bible predicts: to literally control the right of individuals to buy and sell. For example, we can buy most of what we need by use of our ATM debit or credit cards. Cards, however, can be lost.

This problem could be solved, however, by inserting tiny electronic transponders (chip implants) somewhere in our body. (This has already been done with livestock and household pets). Thus, the stage is set for the mark of the beast.

A Hopeful Thought . . .
As I mentioned in the beginning, these are but signs of the times.

If the Antichrist is getting close, then the return of Jesus Christ for His people is even closer.

The Antichrist cannot be revealed until after the church is removed. Are you ready for that great event? Keep in mind these prophetic words of Jesus: “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:28).

Part IV