Aug 21, 2014

The Antichrist and His Many Titles

The video is from Chris White, and gives a glimpse both of scripture and what Israel and Jews are looking for from the Messiah at this late hour of history.  The text is some scripture I have gathered and mentions of few of the different titles regarding the Antichrist throughout the Bible.  We can never study too much...


THE ANTICHRIST

The term “Antichrist” is used only four times in scripture, all of those in the letters of 1st and 2nd John.  While the specific title is not often used in the Bible, the aura of the character is so powerful that is has become a part of our culture be it Christian or not.  Antichrist means “in place of” or “against” Christ.  The term can refer to one specific character yet to appear on the stage of history, or anyone in the sense that they deny that Jesus Christ came in the flesh (1 John 4:3) or deny God the Father and Jesus the Son (1 John 2:22).

The Antichrist that draws our attention in prophecy is one particular man who will be the consummate Antichrist.  He will appear on the scene of history at the end of the age and take his stand in place of and opposition to Jesus the Messiah.  Following are some of the many titles and prophecies that have been given of him throughout scripture.

THE SEED OF THE SERPENT

The first prophecy in scripture is in Genesis 3:15.  There the Lord pronounced that “…I will put enmity (hostility/hatred) between thee (the Serpent) and the woman, and between thy seed (Antichrist) and her seed; it (the seed of the woman/Messiah) shall bruise thy head and thou (the serpent) shalt bruise his (Messiah’s) heel.”  Here in this passage we see the coming of Antichrist called the “seed of the Serpent”.  This is very telling, as we know a great deal about the seed of the woman in the person of Jesus Christ.  Jesus is both fully divine and fully human.  He has the Holy Spirit as His physical Father, yet He was born of a human mother.  And He is the representative, Savior and “Firstfruits” of all who would be obedient to God and trust in Him for their salvation and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20).  It is not unlikely that the Antichrist will meet these same features, yet in a fully sinister and ungodly way.
 
THE BEAST

In Revelation 13 and 17 we get more detail about the character and work of the Antichrist.  In this letter, John, the same writer who coined the term, does not use Antichrist as a description, but here refers to him as the “Beast”.  This is from the Greek word “therion” which means vicious, savage, and fierce.  While there is more than one Beast described in Revelation, we can conclusively define this Beast as the Antichrist.  It is important to remember that this term is describing both a kingdom and a man.  Let’s look closely at the descriptions here:

-         The Beast rises or originates from the sea (Rev. 13:1) This may be descriptive of both the man and kingdom.

-         The Beast kingdom has seven heads or kings. (Rev. 17:3-7)

-         The Beast has ten horns symbolic of kings and/or kingdoms.  (Rev. 13:1, 17:7, Dan. 7:19-20)

-         The Beast has a crown on each horn symbolic of authority (Rev. 13:1)

-         The name of blasphemy is written on each of the heads. (Rev. 13:1)

-         The Beast kingdom has the characteristics of a Leopard (swiftness, thought to characterize the Kingdom of Ancient Greece in Daniel 7:6), a Bear (symbolic of size and power, believed to represent Ancient Persia in Daniel 7:5), and a Lion (symbolic of ferocity and authority, believed to represent Ancient Babylon in Daniel 7:4). (See Rev. 13:2)

-         One head (king) will be wounded (killed) but will be temporarily resurrected and the whole world will marvel and worship the Beast. (Rev. 13:3-4, 17:8-10)

-         The Dragon (Satan) gives his power and authority to the Beast (Rev. 13:4)

-         The Beast is given power for 42 months. (Rev. 13:5)

-         The Beast will make war with the saints and overcome them (resulting in the martyrdom of many as seen in the 5th seal of Revelation 6:9-11.  (Rev. 13:7, Dan. 7:21, 25, 8:24-25)

-         All that dwell on the earth whose names are not written in the Book of Life will worship him.  (Rev. 13:8)

-         For more on this line of prophecy see Daniel 7:7-11, 8:23-25, 9:26-27, 11:36-39 and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10.

OTHER TITLES OF THE ANTICHRIST

-         “Abominable branch” (Isaiah 14:19) and the “branch of the terrible ones” (Isaiah 25:5).  These in contrast to the true “Branch” or root of all life, Jesus the Messiah.  (Isaiah 11:2)

-         The “worthless shepherd” (Zechariah 11:17)

-         The “man of sin” and “son of perdition/destruction” (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

-         The “abomination of desolation”. (Matthew 24:15, Daniel 9:27 and 12:11)

-         The “little horn”. (Daniel 7:8)

-         The “powerful and ungodly king”. (Daniel 11:36)

-         The “destroyer” and the “extortioner”.  (Isaiah 16:4)

-         The “head of the house of evil”.  (Habakkuk 3:13)

It should be noted that the popular idea of the Antichrist coming to power as a man of peace seems to have little support in scripture.  Of the titles and descriptions of him and his character, violence and war seem to designate his career.  While it appears at some point during Daniel’s 70th week the Antichrist will bring some peace to Israel and the world, it will be a peace that comes through war and is solidified in the establishment of force personal worship to him as god on earth.

                                                THE MARK
 
“And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:  and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”  (Rev. 13:16-17) 

     Two things cannot be separated from our impressions of the coming anti-Christ; the mark of the Beast, and the number, 666  (Rev. 13:18).  These two things have provoked both fascination and great fear in readers for centuries.  What is clear about the mark is this; that it will be a visible etching or brand, something that can be clearly seen by others.  Many have reasoned in recent decades that the growth of nanotechnology and the reduced size of microchips would mean that the mark would be something of this nature.  While it is possible that the mark may include some advanced technology, the scripture uses the Greek word charagma, which means “imprint”, or “brand”, like what might be seen on a domesticated animal.  Those who take the mark of the Beast take his “brand”. 

     In verse 17 we see that to do any transactions, you must either have the name of the Beast, the number of his name, or the mark.  While we don’t know what the mark is yet, if one does not accept the symbol or mark that represents the Beast, the option will be available to take his name or the number of his name, 666, in a form similar to the mark. 

     It must also be said, that there is no clearer dividing line in history than between those who take the mark of the Beast and those who don’t.  Those who take the mark will live, do business, and continue for a short time.  However they will eventually be subject to the wrath of God (Rev. 14:9-11) which includes being tormented with fire and brimstone forever.  Those who reject the mark will be slain, but spend eternity with the Lord.  (Rev. 12:11, 17, 13:15)  It is likely that the mark of the Beast is a symbol that is already in use around the world today. 

     The mark has parallels in scripture.  In Ezek. 9:3-7 the Lord has an angel “mark” the foreheads of all those who “sigh” and “cry” over the evil that is done in in Jerusalem and the Temple.  Here the mark was the Hebrew letter “tau”, which looks like a cross.    

 


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