Module 7 Lesson 4 - The Person of the Antichrist

Bro Koay Kheng Hin

Note: Text in grey are transcribed and not part of the notes given.

Lesson 4 - The Person of the Antichrist

We cannot look at the Rapture and the 7 years tribulation without talking about the person of the Antichrist. The antichrist appears after the Rapture.

Who is the antichrist? Every generation has their candidate. If your scour the internet, you'll have Obama, Putin and even the Pope. Some people are now talking about a Muslim antichrist. In history, people who are hated are sometimes labelled the antichrist.

In the last days, at the beginning of the 7- year tribulation, the Antichrist will appear on the scene. The identity of the Antichrist has been the subject of speculation throughout the centuries. Every period of history has seen its fair share of candidates for the Antichrist. What does the Bible actually say about the Antichrist? Biblically understood, the Antichrist is both a man and a system. As a man, he is known by many names. The name Antichrist can be traced back to the apostle John (1 John 2:18). John also calls him the Beast in the book of Revelation (Rev 13:1-10). Paul uses the names "man of sin", the "lawless one", the "opposer" and the "son of perdition' (2 Thess 2:3,8) to describe the Antichrist. The Antichrist is also identified as Daniel's "little horn" (Dan 7:8, 23-25).

The story of the Antichrist rightly begins from the Garden of Eden. It is there that the old Serpent tempted Eve with the words "you will be like God" (Gen 3:5). It is the nature of the Devil that he desires to take the place of the Almighty, to receive the worship that rightly belongs only to God. In falling to that temptation fallen man has since been walking down the path of sin, carving a world without God. The first instance of this worldwide godlessness was seen in the building of the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-4). God dispersed humanity from then on (Gen 11:5-9). Nevertheless in time, the devil will send his Antichrist to forge a godless world where humanity will once again set up a one world system without God. The Dragon (Devil) (Rev 12:9) as the demonic authority will take the place of God the Father in the hearts of men, the Beast (Antichrist) (Rev 13:1-10) as the political authority will supplant Christ and a third person, the False Prophet(Rev 13:11-18) as the religious authority will falsely act as the Holy Spirit. The Dragon is the anti-god; the Beast the anti-son; the false prophet the anti-spirit. This unholy trinity (Rev 16:13; Rev 20:10) will control the political, economic and religious system of the world where all will be demanded to worship the Beast(Rev 13:8,12).

Why indeed has God permitted all these things to come to pass? The answer lies in the fact that with God, as in all things good and bad, it is a basic principle of the Divine government of the world that all things, the good as well as the evil, must reach its ripeness. For the evil the patience of God leads to severe judgment. "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, 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." (2 Thess 2:3,4)

1 John 2:18

"Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming,

now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour."

Questions

1 What world empire is represented by the fourth beast of Daniel 7?

The identity of the antichrist is related to this question. We have to understand that the prophecy is very much linked to the prophet Daniel. You will be able to narrow down once you can answer this question. We need to work from the Bible and see where the conclusion is drawn from.

1 John 2:18

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.

Here is where the word antichrist appears.

Revelation 13:1-2

​1 And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea.

The Beast out of the Sea

And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.

Here John calls him the beast.

2 Thessalonians 2:3

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,

2 Thessalonians 2:8

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.

Paul calls him the Man of Sin and the Son of Perdition. And the opposed, the lawless one.

To understand who he is we need to start from the beginning. At the garden of Eden. This is where it all started.

Genesis 3:5

For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Why did Eve finally tip over? Some say the fruit looked pleasant, or doubting God, or greedy, but I think what really struck me was "you will be like God." You cannot impart what you are not, good or bad. Violent people can impart violence. So when the devil said this it carried the weight of that experience. He wanted to be like God. He was imparting his spirit into Eve's spirit. Once she tipped over, everything changed. After that event, we become self-centred. It is all about "I". To be like God.

How did it manifest?

Genesis 4:8

Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.

In this is the story of  a religious war. About what and how to worship God. Is it God who determine how we worship him or do we determine how we worship him? If we decide then we need to ask the question who is God. Abel came as God ordained, but Cain came with his demands. It's more than just the mode of worship but also who is God.

This determined whether we have a world with God or a world without God.

What was wrong with building the Tower of Babel.

Genesis 11:4

And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

The pronoun us and ourselves was evident. It was the supremacy of man and independence of God. To built a world without God.

We can be at the forefront of science and technology. Our children should be the best there is but remember we are not to be independent of God. The result?

Genesis 11:8

So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.

This is the one world system. Since the Tower of Babel, the one world system has never occurred.

God is not against the one world system. He is just against one that is without God. Man has continued to try to form a one world system. And usually it is through military conquest.

Daniel 7:3-8

3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. 4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man's heart was given to it.

5 “And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’

6 “After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.

7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.

Vision of the Ancient of Days

8 I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.

Lion

Bear

Leopard

Fourth Beast - What is this beast? It has 10 horns. A little horn that came from the 10 horns.

Daniel 7:17-20

17 ‘Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’

19 “Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; 20 and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.

The interpretation. The 4 beasts are 4 kingdoms. 

Daniel 7:23-25

23 “Thus he said:

‘The fourth beast shall be

A fourth kingdom on earth,

Which shall be different from all other kingdoms,

And shall devour the whole earth,

Trample it and break it in pieces.

24 The ten horns are ten kings

Who shall arise from this kingdom.

And another shall rise after them;

He shall be different from the first ones,

And shall subdue three kings.

25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High,

Shall persecute the saints of the Most High,

And shall intend to change times and law.

Then the saints shall be given into his hand

For a time and times and half a time.

This little horn will reign 3½ years. The little horn is the antichrist. When Daniel wrote the book, it was about 530BC.

Lion - the Babylonian

Bear - Medo Persian

Leopard - Grecian - v6 the 4 kingdoms after Alexander the great died

Fourth Beast - who is this. What empire is it?

History very clearly showed that after the Grecian empire was the Roman empire. 

Revelation 13:1-2

The Beast from the Sea

​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.

Here from the beast came the little horn.

Where is the Roman empire now? It went through many phases. It was a very strong empire. By the 4th century it became very unwieldy so it split into the Eastern and Western empire. The Eastern empire continued for another 900 years until it was conquered by the Turks. It ruled most of Europe until Russia.

The state and the emperor and the church and it's pope blended together. That was when the Empire declined. Religion and politics blending weakened the Empire.

If you study European history you'll find Roman government, law, language and military system have formed the background of all the institutions of Europe. The little horn refers to a revived Roman empire. What is called the European Union. The last person who almost formed European unity was Napoleon around 1808. He was also called the antichrist.

Then Hitler came along. He wanted to create a one world government. That's why he attacked Russia. He was also called the antichrist.

At the moment we see no military force that is the equivalent. The EU has 3 aspects. The economic, the political and the religious aspect. But I want to add that there is a military aspect. They were very successful in their economic aspect. Some are not aware of the EWU, the European Western Union. With 10 permanent members. This is a military pact. It was disbanded in 2011 and is now in the European Union.

The European Union is the revived little Roman that may be the little horn. We will have to see what EU does. The NATO is one military pact. The EU is the other. America may not be able to commit it's troups if there is a war. The American sentiment is why should Americans be dying for other people's wars? That is why Obama was forced in the ISIS crisis.

In short the antichrist will come from Europe. When the military pact in Europe is formed.

We have spoken of the antichrist as a man. Now we are going to look at the antichrist as a system.

When you are in leadership he doesn't stand alone. The leader is always the head of something bigger. He is part of a system. He is the head of a system. It is the system that we will look at.

The mark of a leader is if he has any followers. But beyond the man we have to look at the system he is in. The Antichrist is the head of a human system at enmity with God.

He cannot exists if he has no followers. And who are his followers? It is much of humankind. As man becomes more and more advance and brilliant the further away they move way from God. When the time of the Antichrist appears it is a time that is ripe for him to be worshipped.

When a man decides whether to follow God, he may think he either choose the path of God, his own path (the path of self) or the path of the devil. That is the biggest lie of the devil. There is no three path. He either chooses the path of God or the path of the devil. He may think he is going in his own path, he is actually under the covering of the devil.

When the Antichrist appears at the beginning of the 7 years he will reveal that a man that walk his path is actually walking under the devil.

There are two words or approaches that is the modus operandi of the devil. The destroyer and the deceiver. 

We often do see the devil as a destroyer but first and foremost he is a deceiver. He is a sophisticated enemy. He is a master whisperer. The devil is also a master imitator. Once you see these words you'll begin to see who he is.

The idea of the master imitator is like that. I used to have a Rolex but it's actually only RM25. You almost cannot differentiate when new. But over time after it corroded you'll see its not.

He is an imitator of the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Revelation 16:13-14

13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

The Father (Dragon), the Son (Beast) and the Holy Spirit (Prophet). For 7 years the devil is gathering them for the battle of Armageddon.

The good news is the Bible records the devil who deceived them, the destroyer was cast into the lake of fire. They lost the battle of Armageddon.

Revelation 20:10

The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

The dragon sets himself up as anti-god, the beast sets himself up as anti-son and the prophet as the anti-spirit.

The anti-god

Revelation 12:9

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.

The anti-son

Revelation 13:1

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.

The anti-spirit

Revelation 13:11

Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.

This is the unholy trinity. It is an imitation of the Holy Trinity. And many will follow. 

The Holy Spirit always glorify Jesus. The anti-spirit will also glorify the anti-son. He is an imitator.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

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.

If you look at this you'll see the coherence of God's revelation. From the beginning of time the devil has wanted to exalt himself. Man has wanted to exalt himself without God at the Tower of Babel. The keyword is him as the deceiver. He is the head of this system.

How does this system works.

Revelation 13:8

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.

The two keywords are all and worship.

Revelation 13:12

And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

That beast was actually wounded very badly. He was actually resuscitated, drawing the similarity with Jesus. 

Jesus died and resurrected. The beast as the anti-son was (deadly) wounded and resuscitated.

It's a play of word. The word resuscitation and Resurrection are two very different words.

What does all this leads us to? If all were to follow him, they will need to come up with a one world religious system.

The Roman empire was the greatest empire in the civilized world. The Roman emperor has the authority to declare what religious system to follow. So it was also a one world political system.

Revelation 13:16-17

16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

This will only be possible if there is a one world economic system.

You again see the trinity in the system. Politics often comes with military power. Mao Zedong says power comes from the barrel of a gun.

Without the mark you cannot buy or sell. There is an authority over the people. Which part of human history can we consider this one world government? We have to admit that it has never happened.

Globalisation today makes this possible. Everything today is interconnected economically unlike the past. Travels that took months now take hours. A one world government is never more possible than today.

There is nothing wrong with a one world system. Even God has a one world government in the Millennium. The problem is a one world government without God.

The problem is a one world religious system. We have less problem with a one world political or economical system.

What is this one world religious system.

Jerusalem, Babylon and Rome.

Jerusalem is going to be the centre of the Third World War. Babylon began from the Tower of Babel. The anti-god spirit. King of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and began the exile in 586 BC. This was the defining moment of the Jewish history. Babylon represents a world empire at enmity with God.

The offspring of Babylon is Rome. Rome represented not only a political centre but also religious centre from where the Roman Catholic Church came. From the 4th century to the 16th century before Martin Luther came. Martin Luther was a Roman Catholic. The protestant movement was at that time heretical. You would be terribly tortured and killed for professing to be a protestant.

A time will come when the Roman Catholic Church will embrace universalism. What is universalism? The doctrine that all gods are the same. You will accept other faiths. That's how the devil will deceive. He will take a position where all can accept him. Nobody will accept the devil.

I am not talking about an individual Roman Catholic but about the structure of the Roman Catholic Church as an organisation. You have to understand that without the Roman Catholic Church we will not have the protestant church. Even some protestant church may not be biblical if we are not careful. If we identify with the secular so much for growth and compromise biblical truth then we can also be deceived. Like preaching wealth and health as the primary goal. Note I say primary goal. Look at the gay marriage movement as an example.

The last part of your notes says why God allows all these to happen? God has his timing and purpose for all things. Both the Roman Catholic Church and protestant church that are raptured will only leave a shell of the church here. Today there are both believers and unbelievers in the Roman Catholic Church and the protestant church.

Matthew 13:29-30

29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

Revelation 14:15

And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.”

2 What is the significance of the number 666?

This number is the most analyzed. Gematria is a Hebrew numerical valuation.

Revelation 13:18

Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.

The question is whether this mark is a literal mark? We have to look at verses.

Revelation 14:1

​Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads.

What was John looking at? That the people of God will also have a mark.

Deuteronomy 6:8

You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

Deuteronomy 11:18

“Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

By biblical commentators they always talk about having God's words in your heart. That this is symbolic and not literal. These passages shows that the mark of the beast may not be a literal mark.

The mark of the beast is supposed to mean worship and submission both spiritual and moral in nature.

What are the implications of this one world government?

From heavenly truth in Christ God became man. From demonic lies, in the beast man becomes God.

You will be like God, the lies of the devil. But we end on a good note.

Revelation 20:10
The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.