{15} STUDY: ANTI-CHRIST專題：敵基督

Description

The name “antichrist” appears 4 times in the Bible, only in Apostle John’s writings (1Jn 2:18,22; 1Jn 4:3; 2Jn 7). However, there are many Bible passages on a person thought to be the same as the antichrist because of the similarities in character and actions.

Dan 7:7-11,17-26

Dan 8:8-14,21-26

Dan 9:26-27

Dan 11:21-24,31-39

Dan 12:11-12

Mt 24:24; Mk 13:6,21-22; Lk 21:8

2Th 2:3-9

Rev 11:7

Rev 13:1-18

Rev 17:8-18; 19:19-20; 20:10

Different names:

• little horn (Dan 7:8) of the 4th beast
• small horn (Dan 8:9) of the goat
• a stern-faced king (Dan 8:23)—the small horn
• a master of intrigue (Dan 8:23)—the small horn
• the ruler who will come (Dan 9:26) in the 70th Seven
• a contemptible person (Dan 11:21)
• the man of lawlessness (man of sin) (2Th 2:3)
• the man doomed to destruction (son of pedition) (2Th 2:3)
• the lawless one (2Th 2:9)
• the deceiver (2Jn 7)
• the beast that comes up from the Abyss (Rev 11:7)
• a beast coming out of the sea (Rev 13:1)
• the beast with 10 horns and 7 heads (Rev 13:1)—beast from the sea
• 666, the number of the beast (Rev 13:18)—beast from the sea
• the beast (Rev 17:8; 19:19; 20:10)

He is called antichrist because:

• He assumes the guise of Christ but opposes the real Christ. (1Jn 2:18,22; 4:3)
• As Christ received authority from the Father (Mt 11:27), so antichrist receives authority from Satan who is called the dragon or the ancient serpent (Rev 13:4).
• As Christ is God appearing in the flesh (1Ti 3:16), so antichrist is Satan appearing in the flesh.

His Actions

The following are direct quotes from the Bible (NIV).

He is a man with tremendous political power. He will start off as a leader inside a political entity of 10 kingdoms and will destroy or take over 3 of them. He will eventually become a world dictator.

• the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell (The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings.) (Dan 7:20,24)
• started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land (Dan 8:9)
• He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. (Rev 13:1)
• The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. (Rev 17:12)

He is from Satan who dominates 7 secular empires (in the past and in the future), and eventually controls all national, political, cultural, or racial institutions in the world.

• And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast. (Rev 13:7-8)
• The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while. The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction. (Rev 17:9-11)

He will be mortally wounded but will live again. Because of this wonder, many people follow him.

• One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. (Rev 13:3)

He will perform miraculous signs and wonders. He will deceive many people by claiming himself Christ.

• For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect. (Mt 24:24; Mk 13:6,21-22; Lk 21:8)
• The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders. (2Th 2:9)
• Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. (Mt 24:24; Mk 13:6,21-22; Lk 21:8)

He will confirm a covenant with the Jews at the beginning of the 70th Seven (the 7-year tribulation) and allow them to worship in the (possibly newly built) Temple in Jerusalem.

• He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation. (Dan 9:27)

He will be held back until the moment determined by God. That which holds him back is interpreted differently by different people. It can be the Holy Spirit, or the political institutions of the world, or simply God’s will.

• And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed (2Th 2:6-8)

He will conquer and destroy his enemies by deceit and then dominates the world.

• the beast that crushed and devoured its victims (Dan 7:19)
• He will become very strong, but not by his own power. [by the power of Satan] He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. (Dan 8:24)
• He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. (Dan 8:25)
• He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue. Then an overwhelming army will be swept away before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed. After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully, and with only a few people he will rise to power. When the richest provinces feel secure, he will invade them. (Dan 11:21-24)

He will break the covenant with the Jews and stop the worship of God in the Temple (of Jerusalem) at the midpoint of the 7-year tribulation.

• It set itself up to be as great as the Prince of the host; it took away the daily sacrifice from him, and the place of his sanctuary was brought low. Because of rebellion, the host of the saints and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground. (Dan 8:11-12)
• the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, and the surrender of the sanctuary and of the host that will be trampled underfoot—2,300 evenings and mornings (Dan 8:13-14)
• His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant (Dan 11:31-32)
• From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. (Dan 12:11)

He will speak boastfully, proclaim himself God during the second half of the 70th Seven.

• a mouth that spoke boastfully (Dan 7:8)
• The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. (Dan 11:36)
• He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. (2Th 2:4)
• The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. (Rev 13:5)

He will be helped by the false prophet who will make people worship him. An image of him will be set up in the Temple, described as “the abomination (something that God hates) that causes desolation (destroying the proper function of the Temple).”

• The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. (Rev 13:2)
• He (the false prophet) exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast. (Rev 13:12)
• He (the false prophet) ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast. (Rev 13:14)
• He (the false prophet) was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. (Rev 13:15)
• you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel (Mt 24:15)

He will make war with the saints, defeat them, and kill them for a period of 3.5 years.

• waging war against the saints and defeating them (He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.) (Dan 7:21,25)
• It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them. (Dan 8:10)
• but the people who know their God will firmly resist him. Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. (Dan 11:32-33)
• will attack them (the 2 witnesses), and overpower and kill them (Rev 11:7)
• He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. (Rev 13:6-7)

His End

He will lead an army against God at Armaggedon but will finally be destroyed by a supernatural act of God.

• Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power. (Dan 8:25)
• He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed. (Dan 11:36)
• whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. (2Th 2:8)
• the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse (Christ) and his army. (Rev 19:19)

He will be thrown into the burning hell forever, along with Satan and the false prophet.

• the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire (Dan 7:11)
• thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur (Rev 19:20)
• They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever (in the lake of burning sulfur). (Rev 20:10)

His Identity

There are 3 groups of possibilities: [1] a historical figure, including Nero, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, Napoleon, Hitler. However, this is unlikely as events described above have not yet happened. [2] a symbol representing a political or religious institution, such as the European Union or the Roman Catholic Church. [3] a real person who has yet to come. He may still be unkown or may be already in power today. He will first assume power in a country within the territory of the ancient Roman Empire. As he can make a covenant with the Jews concerning the worship in the Temple, some believe him to be at least partially Jew, possibly from the Israeli tribe of Dan (see commentary on 7:5-8).

Application

† Despite countless speculations in the past, especially in the last 30 years, no one is sure about when or how the prophecies concerning the antichrist will happen. It is therefore useless to speculate. We only need to know that God has a definite plan and that plan will certainly be realized. We are to look forward to the ideal conclusion of world history and be watchful.