5. The Antichrist

by Dr. Dieter Thom

Decoding Revelation: 5. The Rise of Antichrist

Direct Mention of the Antichrist

11/30/2013 NKJV Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc .Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved.

The English word ‘antichrist’ comes from the Greek antichristos. The Greek term anti means ‘to be against’ and/or ‘to take the place of’. There are only four direct occurrences of the word ‘antichrist’ in Scripture. Interestingly, every one of these occurs in John’s letters (1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 7).

18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. (1 John 2:18-22)

Commentary on 1 John 2:18-22


The Antichrist is an individual that had not yet come in John’s time, but was still expected to come. Many antichrists had already come in John’s time, in a generic sense of being ‘against Christ’ or specifically claiming to be ‘the Christ’. This is an indication that it is “the last hour” (the last days), obviously not a literal hour. The antichrists were initially professing Christians that fell away from the faith and denied that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah). The Antichrist will come from a Christian background, but reject the faith.

Muslims accept Jesus as the Jewish Messiah (as well as His virgin birth, sinless life and ascension to heaven), so the Antichrist cannot become a Muslim. The Pope teaches the pre-incarnate existence of Jesus and that Jesus is the Christ, so the Pope or a Roman Catholic cannot be the antichrist. Buddhists believe in the manifestations of ‘Christs’, but they do not believe that Jesus is (the one and only) Christ. The Antichrist could become a Buddhist. In fact, he could be identified as the next Dalai Lama.

The Antichrist might acknowledge God the Father, but cannot acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God. Hence, he denies his divine and pre-incarnate existence with the Father. Ultimately he will also claim to be god.

1 John 4:1 - 3


1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. (1 John 4:1-3)

The antichrist spirit denies that Jesus has come in the flesh i.e. the incarnation. This could be that it denies the physical existence of Jesus completely, but more likely that it denies that He is the only God incarnate, and could accept Him as simply a prophet, good man or one of the many manifestations of the christ.

2 John 7 - 9


7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. 9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. (2 John 7 – 9)

According to this passage we can deduce that the incarnation is a very important part of “the doctrine of Christ”, and those that do not believe in it, are not saved. This includes Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons and other cults. The antichrist spirit was already in the world when John wrote these words, but there seems to have been a clear expectation in the early church that a specific, personal antichrist was still to come. However, there are other less clear scriptures that also seem to indirectly apply to the ‘antichrist’.


Indirect References to Antichrist/Christ

Revelation Chapter 6 Revelation Chapter 19 1 NOW I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

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.

Antichrist/Christ


The two persons mentioned in Rev. 6:1&2 (the Lamb and the rider) are different people. The Lamb opens the first seal (vs 1). The horse is white, but the rider’s colour is not mentioned (vs 2). The Lamb is not said to be the rider. If he were, it would say so. The rider has a bow, a weapon of war (vs 2). He is given, so does not naturally have, a crown. He rides out to conquer. The Lamb is Christ. The rider is the antichrist. The first Seal is thus opened as the first Seal of the Judgment of God.

The rider in Rev. 19:11 is clearly Jesus. The horse is white, but the rider is wearing clothes dipped in blood (vs 11). Clearly He is the Lamb, Faithful and True. With justice he judges and goes to war. He has several crowns on His head. He rides out to conquer and RULE the nations. The rider, in this case, is Jesus.

There are some similarities and differences between the two riders on white horses. The first is the Antichrist the False Messiah, and the second is the Christ, the true Messiah, hence the white horse as symbolism for both. The first inaugurates the Great Tribulation and the second ends it. The second will destroy the first.

2 Thessalonians 2:1 – 5.


“1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?” (2Thes.2:1-5)

Before the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus there will be a great “falling away” from the faith. This seems to be connected to the falling away of the antichrists of 1 John who deny the exclusive deity of Christ. Then the “man of sin is revealed”. He certainly is the ultimate antichrist. He is called “the son of perdition (hell)”, as opposed to (by implication) the “Son of God”. The contrast seems clearly to be between the Christ and the antichrist. He is described as “the one opposing and exalting himself over everything being called God, or object of worship”. This individual claims deity for himself and is against any other god of any other religion. He is said “to sit in the temple of God as God, setting forth himself, that he is God”. The Jewish temple would have to be rebuilt.

A Very Likely Candidate for Antichrist


Are there people around today that claim to be gods? The Hindu and Buddhist gurus do. More specifically the Dalai Lama, the head of the Buddhists and the deposed ruler of Tibet, has a very special claim to Godhood. He is getting old and will likely die very soon. Who will replace him? Traditionally the Dalai Lama has always been Tibetan, but the next Dalai Lama could be a European. Which is the largest and most dominant country in Europe? Germany. Who is the most likely candidate in Germany? The deposed German royalty. Could one of these be the god-king that will become the Antichrist? Of course, if this is true, then the Dalai Lama must die first, before the Antichrist is born.

Determining the identity of Antichrist


Does the Bible give us some clues about the identity of the Antichrist? We need to start in the Old Testament, which is the foundation of the New Testament. Let us first have a look at some foundational passages in the Book of Daniel. We need to understand the development of global kingdoms in history as portrayed in the Bible. We also need to understand what Biblical prophecy has already been fulfilled. Futurists often err on the side of not seeing which prophecy has already been fulfilled, and historicists often force fulfillment of prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled.

The table below outlines the four major historical global powers prophetically described in the figurative imagery of the Book of Daniel. The first three columns look at different passages and the last two columns explain them. Each row shows the connection.

Daniel’s Big 4 Historical Global Powers


Man 2:31 – 45.

Beast 7:1 – 27.

Ram & Goat 8:1 – 27.

Empire Global Power

Major Figures

2:37&38 Gold Head

7:4 Lion with Eagle's wings

Babylonian 626 – 539 BC

Nebuchadnezzar

2:39a Silver Belly & Arms

7:5 Bear that is Devouring flesh

8:20 Ram Two Horns

Medo-Persian 539 – 323 BC

Cyrus, Darius, (Arta)Xerxes

2:39b Bronze Belly & Thigh

7:6 Leopard with 4 wings & heads

8:21 Male Goat

Greek 323 BC to 146 BC

Alexander the Great

2:40 Iron Legs & Feet

7:23&24 Terrible 10 horns & iron

teeth

Roman 145 BC–AD 476

Julius Caesar Constantine

2:41-43 Iron/Clay Feet & Toes

Byzantine Empire 324 – 1453 AD

Holy Roman Empire 800 – 1806 AD

Eastern Europe Orthodox

Western Europe Roman Catholic

7:20-22 The Little Horn: Arrogant

and Haughty

Western and Eastern Integration into European Union of 2000 – 2060 AD

Antichrist the President of the European Union

Who is the Dragon? (Rev. 12:1 – 17)


3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 4 His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born... 7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down…12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” 13 Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. 14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. 15 So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. 16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

The Dragon (Rev. 12:1 – 17)


The dragon clearly represents Satan, the leader of the fallen angels. However, Satan takes on a particular form in this passage.

The seven hills represent the seven hills of Rome. The seven crowns represent seven kings or the seven major kingdoms. Ten horns represent the ten kingdoms of the Roman Empire and the ten kings of the Germanic Barbarian tribes that destroyed the Roman Empire in the fifth century. This Roman Empire became the Holy Roman Empire and modern Europe.

The child represents Jesus. The woman represents the Church, in the Old Testament (Spiritual Israel) and New Testament (Jewish and Gentile believers together in the same faith, spiritual Israel).

How does God protect His Church against the Dragon? In the wilderness. Remember this for when the Great Tribulation comes. This is a clue from God to believers on how to survive. When the time comes, get out of the cities, because several passages warn that the cities of the world will collapse. The answer: buy farmland and start developing this as a rural retreat for your family and the family of God. Don’t sell everything you have just yet, but watch for the signs of the times.

Who is the First Beast of Revelation?


“1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And 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. 2 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. 3 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. 4 So they worshiped the dragon 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?” 5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 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. 8 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.(Rev. 13:1-8)

The First Beast of Revelation


Many commentators agree that the first beast represents the entity that was Rome, became the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation (which is its historical and full name), and eventually modern Europe. Notice that Germany was and still is the controlling power of Europe. Most of the languages of Europe are classed as ‘Germanic’ in academia. The Holy Roman Empire was founded by Charlemagne in 800 A. D., who was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the Pope in Rome. The Roman Catholic Church was always the spiritual force behind the Holy Roman Empire. Protestantism became nominally involved rather late. The seven hills represent the seven hills of Rome. This is commonly accepted by most commentators. The seven crowns represent seven kings, probably the electors of the Holy Roman Empire. Ten horns with ten crowns represent the ten kings of the Germanic Barbarian tribes that destroyed the Roman Empire in the fourth century. They were the forerunners of modern Germany and Europe.

Who is the Scarlet Beast ?


3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns…8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. 9 “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition. 12 “The ten horns 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. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. (Rev. 17:3, 8-13)

The Scarlet Beast


The Scarlet Beast is a different form of the First Beast. The European Union is the modern heir to the Holy Roman Empire. The seven hills represent the seven hills of Rome. This is a consistent prophetic indicator to guide us in the identities of the beasts throughout Scripture. The seven crowns likely represent the Electors of the Holy Roman Empire. One of these electors that received a ‘deathly wound’, will be revived. One of the members of the defunct royal houses of Europe will rise again.

The ten heads represent the ten countries of the Western European Union, which functioned officially as a separate political entity and parliament until recently, but which still unofficially controls Europe. The European Union President is the secular heir to the historical role played by the Holy Roman Emperor. The Antichrist will rise to power to become the President of the European Union.

Clearly, the antichrist, the ‘man of sin’, and the first and scarlet beasts are one and the same Antichrist. To better understand the connection between the three, we must understand the history of the Roman Empire, which still exists today. The Roman Empire has existed in different forms for more than three millennia (3000 years).

The Holy Roman Empire and Europe


The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation was founded in 800 AD when the Pope crowned Charlemagne as the Holy Roman Emperor. Malcolm Cohen’s From Rome to Holy Roman Empire (2012) shows how the Holy Roman Empire was the natural successor of the Western Roman Empire. There were 7 prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire.

The 3 Spiritual Electors are all Roman Catholic Archbishops. The Elector of Mainz (the Arch-Chancellor of Germany) is currently Cardinal Karl Lehmann. The Elector of Trier (the Arch-Chancellor of Burgundy/France) is currently Cardinal Stephan Ackermann. The Elector of Cologne (Arch-Chancellor of Italy) is currently Cardinal Joachim Meisner.

The 4 Secular Electors are Bohemia, Palatine, Saxony, and the Brandenburg Rulers. The King of Bohemia became the Habsburg Dynasty, the historical Kings of Austria and Holy Roman Emperor, headed by Karl von Habsburg. The Count Palatine of the Rhine became the Duke of Bavaria, the title of Franz von Bayern. The titles Duke of Saxony and the Margrave of Brandenburg became the King of Prussia, the title of Georg Friedrich von Hohenzollern. The Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg is Ernst August of Hanover.

I believe an elector of the Holy Roman Empire will become the Antichrist. The Holy Roman Empire has always been ‘antichrist’, as it has persecuted Christians for centuries, including the Waldenses and Anabaptists. The last Holy Roman Emperor, Francis II, was forced to abdicate in 1806 by Napoleon, but the Holy Roman Empire was never abolished by itself and continues to this day. After two World Wars, the European Union became the natural successor to the Holy Roman Empire and the final form of the Roman Empire.

Satan’s Seat Today


12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, “These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.” (Rev. 2:12-13)

This passage mentions “Satan’s throne’ or “where Satan dwells”. This is quite a significant statement. The ancient Greek city of Pergamon or Pergamum (in modern day Aeolis, Turkey) was the capital city of the Kingdom of Pergamon under the Attalid dynasty during the Hellenistic period (281 – 133 BC). The Great Altar of Pergamon was dedicated to Zeus, whom John equates with Satan. In 1886 the German engineer Carl Humann moved it to the Pergamon Museum on Berlin’s Museum Island. It is still there. The Altar was the inspiration for Albert Speer’s design of the Zeppelin Tribune at Nuremburg, which became a venue for Nazi rallies. Satan’s Seat therefore symbolizes German power.

Summary


The book of Revelation represents the antichrist in 3 slightly different ways: the dragon, the first beast and the scarlet beast. Chapters 12, 13 and 17 are inextricably linked and build on each other.

In the next section we look at the global gospel.

5. The Antichrist

Spiritual

Transcript of 5. The Antichrist