Who is the Antichrist?

[Michie]

The word “Antichrist” gets thrown around often. Politicians are called it, dictators accused of it, and movies dramatize it. For some, it’s nothing more than a myth. Atheist writer Christopher Hitchens dismissed the Antichrist as “apocalyptic fantasy,” while Hollywood portrays him as a shadowy villain plotting world domination. But what does the Bible actually teach about the Antichrist, and how should Christians understand him today?

What the Bible says about the Antichrist

The New Testament letters of John first used the word. John warns that “you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come” (1 John 2:18). Right away, the Bible shows two realities: there is a final Antichrist still to appear, but there are also many “antichrists” already active in the world.

The word itself means both “against Christ” and “in place of Christ.” The Antichrist does not only oppose Jesus but also seeks to replace Him with a counterfeit version of truth. John explains that “every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God,” calling this “the spirit of the antichrist” (1 John 4:3).

Paul adds more detail in 2 Thessalonians, describing “the man of lawlessness” who will exalt himself and even sit “in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God” (2 Thess. 2:3–4). Revelation 13paints an even starker picture of a beast rising from the sea, wielding global power, performing miraculous signs, and demanding worship. Together, these passages describe the Antichrist as deceptive, arrogant, and dangerous—a figure who leads people into false worship and rebellion against God.

Different Christian views

Continued below.

Who is the Antichrist?

The word Antichrist gets thrown around often Politicians are called it, dictators accused of it, and movies dramatize it

www.christianpost.com

 

[RandyPNW]

The word “Antichrist” gets thrown around often. Politicians are called it, dictators accused of it, and movies dramatize it. For some, it’s nothing more than a myth. Atheist writer Christopher Hitchens dismissed the Antichrist as “apocalyptic fantasy,” while Hollywood portrays him as a shadowy villain plotting world domination. But what does the Bible actually teach about the Antichrist, and how should Christians understand him today?

What the Bible says about the Antichrist

The New Testament letters of John first used the word. John warns that “you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come” (1 John 2:18). Right away, the Bible shows two realities: there is a final Antichrist still to appear, but there are also many “antichrists” already active in the world.

The word itself means both “against Christ” and “in place of Christ.” The Antichrist does not only oppose Jesus but also seeks to replace Him with a counterfeit version of truth. John explains that “every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God,” calling this “the spirit of the antichrist” (1 John 4:3).

Paul adds more detail in 2 Thessalonians, describing “the man of lawlessness” who will exalt himself and even sit “in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God” (2 Thess. 2:3–4). Revelation 13paints an even starker picture of a beast rising from the sea, wielding global power, performing miraculous signs, and demanding worship. Together, these passages describe the Antichrist as deceptive, arrogant, and dangerous—a figure who leads people into false worship and rebellion against God.

Different Christian views

Continued below.

Who is the Antichrist?

The word Antichrist gets thrown around often Politicians are called it, dictators accused of it, and movies dramatize it

www.christianpost.com

The one thing I'd like to point out is that John got his word "Antichrist" and Paul got his word "Man of Sin" from his description in Dan 7. There, the Little Horn appears as head of a 10 nation confederation to oppose the coming of the Kingdom of Christ, the "Son of Man."

And so, this "Little Horn" is Anti Christ, and a Man of Sin. He subverts what God intends to make into Christ's Kingdom, and persecutes the saints.

Personally, with hindsight I can see that just as God created Israel in the Middle East to carry the torch for Faith and for Covenant Living, so God added European Civilization as a Covenant People with Faith. Both entities, we are warned, have either turned to apostasy or will turn to apostasy, due to the wayward influence of Sin within.

We know that Israel fell away, if only temporarily. And we are seeing Christian Civilizatioin falling away as well, in Europe and elsewhere--wherever Christianity has spread. We are warned that before the Kingdom of God comes, there will be testing.

 

[Colo Millz]

1 John 2:18 NKJV

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.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I tend to look at it as the antithesis of Christ. Is a Jesus the opposite of the Jesus in the bible (the Jesus of capitalism and guns, the Jesus who puts money back in your pocket, the Jesus who hates everyone you do etc.) being taught? Then it is an antichrist.

 

[JulieB67]

describing “the man of lawlessness” who will exalt himself and even sit “in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God” (2 Thess. 2:3–4)

If we are specifically talking about the man of sin that will sit on the throne proclaiming to be God - it seems pretty clear to me that these verses mirror one another-

Isaiah 14:12 "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations

Isaiah 14:13 "For thou hast said in thine heart, `I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:"

Isaiah 14:14 "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the MOST HIGH

II Thessalonians 2:4 "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."

Isaiah 14:15 "Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit."

Revelation 20:2 "And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,"

"Revelation 20:3 "And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season."

 

[Servus]

"Antichrist" only appears in four verses in the bible. All in the epistles of John.

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 2:18

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 2:22

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. 1 John 4:3

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. 2 John 1:7

 

[Douggg]

The word “Antichrist” gets thrown around often...................................................... But what does the Bible actually teach about the Antichrist, and how should Christians understand him today?

Hi Michie, this topic is extremely important to eschatology.

yes, the term "Antichrist" gets thrown as the general label for the end times arch villain.

But, the term Antichrist is more specific as the function of person for the period of time that he is the King of Israel thought-to-be messiah.

"Christ" , or messiah, in the bible is who the Jews were looking for to be their King of Israel messiah. This is highlighted in Mark 15:32 as the religious leaders mocked Jesus while He was on the cross.

Mark 15:32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.

Also, Pilate had a plaque placed over Jesus's head...

Mark 15:26 And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

The prefix "Anti" means against and/or instead of.

In John 5:43, Jesus foretells the coming of the Antichrist - as being another (other than himself) that the Jews will embrace as their King of Israel messiah.

John 5:43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

----------------

So are the Jews (Judaism) looking for another to be their king of Israel messiah ? YES.

----------------

Now why shouldn't we apply the term Antichrist to person when he becomes the beast-king of Revelation 13 ?

The reason is, for example, same as why we don't call the President of the United States as Senator so-n-so. Two completely different functions.

The person who becomes the Antichrist starts off as the little horn. The little horn goes through 5 phases or stages to his ultimate end.

 

[Douggg]

@Michie

Side note. Since you are Catholic, I would like to note that the Pope/Papacy is not qualified to be the Antichrist - because he is not the correct ethnicity (a Jew) nor religion (Judaism).

The reformers were simply incorrect in their thinking that the Pope/Papacy was the Antichrist.

To become the Antichrist the person must be anointed the King of Israel thought-to-be messiah, a mistake that the Jews will make - until he reveals himself as the man of sin, 2Thesslaonians2:4. So he is the Antichrist for around the first 3 years of the 7 year 70th week of Daniel 9:27.

We can also know when that 7 years is. It will be the 7 years that follow the Gog/Magog event of Ezekiel 39. Ezekiel 39:9, those 7 years.

Look at my chart, the Gog/Magog event is on it. Also the 70th week.

 

[Douggg]

And so, this "Little Horn" is Anti Christ, and a Man of Sin. He subverts what God intends to make into Christ's Kingdom, and persecutes the saints

Randy, the little horn becomes...

the prince that shall come, then
becomes the Antichrist, then
becomes the revealed man of sin, then
becomes the beast-king

 

[timothyu]

It is only logical that the will of man will rebel against the will of God. The world man has made in our own image runs counter to the Kingdom, making the few who follow the will of God over their own will, a counter-culture to this world.

Take a number if you want to join the line of those who will seek to defend the ways of this world over an outside threat. Self-interest is it’s god. It permeates both secular and religion. Just as the Jews looked for a human saviour, so will this world that we have made in our own adversarial image. We are all anti-Christ by nature, so it should be no surprise history will repeat itself and we will attack God. We so easily follow leaders that epitomize the foundation of this backwards world.

BTW. The details of the end are irrelevant, and need not mimic what once was a dig against caesars and Rome. What will be is a foregone conclusion.

 

[RandyPNW]

Randy, the little horn becomes...

the prince that shall come, then
becomes the Antichrist, then
becomes the revealed man of sin, then
becomes the beast-king

View attachment 369758

Yes, I've heard this from you before. Don't know if there are steps to identifying the Little Horn, but at this point I can't say you're wrong. All I know is that they're all the same person, and likely all derived from Dan 7. The 1st reference to Antichrist in the Bible is, I believe, Daniel's Dream in Dan 7?

 

[Douggg]

The 1st reference to Antichrist in the Bible is, I believe, Daniel's Dream in Dan 7?

Probably so. Daniel 7's dream was in the fist year of Belshazzrar's (Nebuchadnezzar's son) reign. Daniel 8's vision was in the third year of Belshazzar's reign.

 

[RandyPNW]

Probably so. Daniel 7's dream was in the fist year of Belshazzrar's (Nebuchadnezzar's son) reign. Daniel 8's vision was in the third year of Belshazzar's reign.

I don't regard Dan 8 as a prophecy of Antichrist regardless. The focus there, in my view, is on Antiochus 4. Even if we disagree on this, I do think Antiochus 4, the Antichrist, and the Roman Kingdom are placed side by side in the book of Daniel to enhance our understanding through comparisons.

 

[Douggg]

Randy, the little horn in Daniel 8 is time of the end. Daniel 8:17.

 

[Delvianna]

Jesus specifies that Daniel has duel prophecy fulfillment.
" And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be." - Matthew 24:20-21

So we have to start with that. I think to argue only 1 fulfillment disregards the other and will become a stalemate where both can be true. There seems to be in Daniel where the destruction of the 2nd temple does indeed fulfill this prophecy but the part it doesn't fulfill is what Jesus says that their flight is in winter and going into the beginning of Daniel 12. We know the destruction happened during the summer as the Jews still mourn that day as the 9th of Av. The war of the Romans and Jews during that time actually took place in a 7 year span of time but by the end, a lot of Jews were slaughtered. So the historical account of the 2nd temple is a prophecy play by play of Daniel but there seems to be an extension that did not happen and thats when we get to the idea of end time fulfillment where their flight will be in winter and the rest of it will play out including Daniel 12.

Regardless if you believe Titus or Nero to be the deciding factor in the play out of the the destruction of the 2nd temple, the fact they were both Roman means the anti-christ does not have to be a Jew. This is why a lot of people think the roman empire will rise again but honestly, my personal opinion is that the "anti-christ" will be from the Islamic faith. Their hatred of Christians and Jews, their global jihad ideology and even their endtime eschatology makes them an interesting candidate.

 

[timothyu]

my personal opinion is that the "anti-christ" will be from the Islamic faith.

A small portion imo. This is a battle between will of man vs Will of God and all humans in this case are guilty of self-interest

 

[Delvianna]

A small portion imo. This is a battle between will of man vs Will of God and all humans in this case are guilty of self-interest

True, but I'm of the opinion this is a literal person when we are talking "anti-christ" and not a metaphor for a global more widespread interpretation. So a literally person is going to declare himself God which a false prophet will back up with signs and wonders, and will force people take his mark and worship him. So regardless if there is a bigger battle or more specific battle at play, I think that literal person will be from Islam.

 

[timothyu]

I think that literal person will be from Islam.

Personally I doubt there will be a non- Muslim global backing of a muslim leader. It must be a global event. He who controls the purse strings controls the world. People love their money. That is a more likely scenario.

 

[Delvianna]

Personally I doubt there will be a non- Muslim global backing of a muslim leader.

The muslims will back them and honestly, that's all that's needed. The anti-christ is like a Hitler duplicate. You don't need the world to accept you, you just need military dominance. This is why you have the verse, "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?”" - Revelation 13:4 Remember the beast forces people to receive a mark unless they can't buy or sell, its oppression, not out of love or adoration. There are 2 billion people of the Islamic faith world-wide. It is the 2nd largest religion. So if someone were to crop up that they would back, thats a serious force to be reckoned with.

 

[timothyu]

You don't need the world to accept you, you just need military dominance.

But this is a battle against God, not man