WHO IS THE ANTICHRIST?
8.24.2003, Bible Outreach of Greater Washington, DC.

The Bible says that the antichrist is a spirit, and that spirit was already in the world during the early days of the New Testament. But yet there is a time in which it "should come" (speaking of the future):

And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. I John 4:3

But the Bible also says there are many antichrists, and this indicates we are in the last era of the world from the beginning of the New Testament age unto the end of this creation at the Day of Judgment:

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. I John 2:18

Then the Bible gives us two descriptions of those who are antichrists (though these descriptions are not exhaustive). In this case, men and women who deny that Christ is the Savior, who deny that Christ is God, are antichrists:

Who is a liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denies the Father and the Son. I John 2:22

And those who deny that Christ became fully man are antichrists:

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. II John 1:7

So those who deny that Christ is the God-man, the only Savior Who is God Himself and yet became fully man, are antichrists. And notice in the verses above that they are called liars and deceivers for their denials. They do not believe the True testimony of God's Word, the Bible, about Jesus Christ and His Work. They deny and lie against the very Word of God.

So in once sense there is "an" antichrist -- the spirit of antichrist -- and in another sense there are "many" antichrists, those people who come under the power and authority of the spirit of antichrist.

To put it in slightly different words, the Bible warns that many false prophets (false pastors, evangelists and Christians) come in the name of Christ but are really under the power and influence of Satan. They are liars:

You* are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. John 8:44

These people masqerade as believers but are really emissaries of Satan:

For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. II Corinthians 11:13-15

Christ Himself warned that the time would come when very many of them would be going about to deceive many, and bringing a false gospel so close to the true Gospel that, if it were possible, even the very elect would be deceived:

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many....For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here [is] Christ, or there; believe [it] not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Matthew 24:11,21-24

In fact, we already see where this occurred within the churches of Galatia from the early days of the church age:

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any [man] preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:6-9

O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth, crucified among you? Galatians 3:1

And there is a real possibility that this was occuring within the churches of Corinth as well:

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or [if] ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with [him]. II Corinthians 11:3-4

In fact, this is the very context in which the Bible warns us that Satan is transformed into an angel of light and his ministers as ministers of righteousness.

We see the same in the warnings to the 7 churches of Revelation 2 and 3:

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things says he that holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have [somewhat] against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. Revelation 2:1-5

And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things says the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and [I know] the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but [are] the synagogue of Satan. Revelation 2:8-9

And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things says he which has the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works and where thou dwellest, [even] where Satan's seat [is]: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas [was] my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Revelation 2:12-16

And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things says the Son of God, who has his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet [are] like fine brass; I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last [to be] more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calls herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searches the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. Revelation 2:18-24

And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things says he that has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Revelation 3:1-3

And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things says he that is holy, he that is true, he that has the key of David, he that opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Revelation 3:7-9

In II Thessalonians 2, God says that the antichrist and the mystery of iniquity will be revealed right before the time Christ returns. And it has altogether to do with this subject on which we speak:

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and [by] our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholds that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity does already work: only he who now lets [will let], until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: [Even him], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (II Thessalonians 2:1-12)

And in II Thessalonians 2, the antichrist, the "man of sin" takes his seat (or his rule, takes authority) in the temple of God showing himself to be God. The temple of God is normally where the body of believers are found, the churches and congregations throughout the world during the New Testament era:

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are. I Corinthians 3:16-17

And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them, and walk in [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. II Corinthians 6:16

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone]; In whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22

So THE antichrist, called the "man of sin" and the "son of perdition" in II Thessalonians 2 (more on this in a moment), who is to be revealed just before the return of Christ, is Satan himself, the master deceiver. And his emissaries are those who come into the churches masqerading as pastors and believers but deny Christ through their false gospels and false doctrines. They are the many antichrists coming under the power and authority of the spirit of antichrist, Satan, while claiming to be of Christ. Like the Pharisees in Israel were antichrists under the power of Satan (remember, the Bible says the antichrist was already in the world, and many antichrists had come forth even in those days), so pastors and teachers in the churches today are coming with their own version of the gospel that is not the True Gospel, but a deception under the power of Satan. So Satan is now being worshiped as God in the temple of God. As false christs and false prophets (false believers, teachers and pastors) have persistently come into the churches as ministers of righteousness, they have finally overrun them in these final days so that the true believers must now depart out before God brings judgment upon them for not loving the truth, "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy...."

This is typically seen as churches have become man-centered and no longer Bible-centered. They trust in their historic faith, confessions, commentaries; or they believe in dreams, visions, tongues, etc -- and they have changed many laws of the Bible into something else while rejecting the progressive revelation of the Scriptures as God opens the seals in our day. Thus we see and hear all sorts of bizarre occurrences in the news about churches which have fallen far from the teaching of the Scriptures. It has been a very subtle deception over a long period of time and such a strong delusion is sent by God that even the very elect could be deceived if it were possible. But only those who have not received a love of the Truth will be snared and destroyed in the end. Christ's sheep hear His voice through the Bible and heed the warning to leave the churches to escape judgment. Fortunately, it is not possible for them to be snared by Satan and his antichrist "ministers of righteousness" because none shall take them out of His hand: John 10:27:29.

So from the beginning of the church age until now, Satan has been assaulting the churches and congregations, winning victory after victory against them, until finally, right before the return of Christ, the few believers who are left must leave. God's plan is that Satan is now loosed for a short period of time to ravage the apostate churches of the world and to finally bring judgment upon them and upon the world itself:

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom [is] as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:7-15

One last interesting piece of information is that, just before Judas betrayed Jesus, Satan entered into him so that Judas was clearly under the power and authority of Satan when he acted out his betrayal:

When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spoke. Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spoke. He then lying on Jesus' breast says unto him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped [it]. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave [it] to Judas Iscariot, [the son] of Simon. And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. John 13:21-27

Shortly after Satan entered into Judas to betray Christ, Christ calls Judas the "son of perdition" in a prayer to the Father:

And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we [are]. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. John 17:11-12

And remember, the "man of sin" (the antichrist), who we know to be Satan himself, was also called the "son of perdition" in 2 Thessalonians 2:

Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

So the fact Christ called Judas the son of perdition indicates that his betrayal was under the power and authority of Satan himself. This is obvious as we just read that Satan had entered into Judas to betray him. And, it is clearly seen again in Luke 22, where Judas finally betrays Christ with a kiss, and Jesus said that it was the power of darkness:

And while he yet spoke, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?....Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be you* come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves? When I was daily with you in the temple, you* stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness. Luke 22:47-48,52-53

And just as Satan instigated Judas' betrayal of Christ, so he continues to betray Christ through the visible body of Christ, the corporate churches and congregations which identify with Christ throughout the church age through his false ministers of righteousness. So the many antichrists are effectively many "Judas's" who betray Christ through their false gospels under the influence of Satan. Satan's desire and goal has always been to rule over God's congregation and to be exalted as God, as we see from Isaiah 14:12-19:

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! 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 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, [and] consider thee, [saying, Is] this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; [That] made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; [that] opened not the house of his prisoners? All the kings of the nations, [even] all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house. But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, [and as] the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcass trodden under feet.

God shows us here both Lucifer's desire to rule over the church as if he were God and God's ultimate plan to destroy him at the day of judgment. But Lucifer is called a "man" in this passage (just as Satan is called the "man of sin" in II Thessalonians 2). Why? Because Isaiah 14 relates the deception and destruction of Satan (Lucifer) in a historical picture through the reign of the king of Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar. King Nebuchadnezzar was a wicked man whom God used to destroy His people in the Old Testament, the nation of Judah, before destroying Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom of Babylon. This portrays the judgment that will come upon the spiritual Babylon (a word meaning "confusion") which is the kingdom of Satan, for destroying the visible kingdom of God (the church) in its perpetual warfare against it. So Lucifer is called a "man" because he is portrayed by the king of Babylon in Isaiah 14. The fact that God uses men such as King Nebuchadnezzar (or Pharoah of Egypt) to represent Satan in a spiritual illustration is similar to the way He uses King David, Moses, or Joshua to portray Christ.

To conclude with a broad stroke, there are 2 spiritual kingdoms in the world, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. Christ has come to save His people out of the kingdom of Satan so that they become citizens of the kingdom of Heaven. But the 2 kingdoms are at war with one another so that Satan doesn't sit idly by -- rather, he continually assaults the kingdom of God right up until the end. He does so by bringing in false heresies, false doctrines, and false christs/teachers into the churches until he himself is being worshiped as if he were God Himself. At the point when he finally overruns the churches (by God's foreordained plan), the true believers are to come out of them (the churches have now become mystery Babylon, the great whore of Revelation 17) and God will come in judgment upon them once the last of His people have become saved in the world. Thankfully, in Matthew 16:18, Christ says that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. This does not mean that the visible churches and congregations will not be destroyed, rather, it simply means that Christ will save whom He has planned to save so that the eternal, heavenly church (the one which is made up of all the elect of God throughout time) will indeed be built as planned and Satan cannot keep them in his prisonhouse. But as for the visible temple of God on this earth made up of the churches and congregations that were once home to the believers (now that its purpose on earth is complete so that God is no longer using it to further the Gospel witness in the world and the return of Christ is fast approaching) God briefly looses Satan so that he rages against it until it is destroyed:

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom [is] as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. Revelation 20:7-9

May God add His blessing to the portion of His Word that is quoted, and may the reader search these things out to see if they are so since we are not infallible in our own words or trustworthy of ourselves.

And he shall speak [great] words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy [it] unto the end. Daniel 7:25-26

And it waxed great, [even] to the host of heaven; and it cast down [some] of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. Yea, he magnified [himself] even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily [sacrifice] was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. And an host was given [him] against the daily [sacrifice] by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced, and prospered. Daniel 8:10-12

And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify [himself] in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. Daniel 8:23-25

And I heard the man clothed in linen, which [was] upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and swore by him that lives forever that [it shall be] for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these [things] shall be finished. Daniel 12:7