What the Bible Says About the Antichrist

Tap to Read ➤ Meghna Wani

All the prophecies of the 'last hour' say that unless you have an unwavering faith in Christ, the spirit of the Antichrist will leave no stone unturned to make you oppose the teachings of Christ.

★ The real Antichrist is he who turns the wine of an original idea into the water of mediocrity. ~ Eric Hoffer

The identity of the Antichrist is an issue that has continuously aroused curiosity in the Christian community since time immemorial. The Antichrist has been given many names, 'Man of Sin', 'The Beast ', ' The False Prophet' , ' Adversary of Christ ', ' Opponent of Christ' and many others.

A popular reference to the Antichrist can be found in the Book of Revelation , which states that at the ' The Battle of Armageddon ', the Messiah will return and defeat the Antichrist. The number ' 666 ' is also associated with the beast. (Revelation 13:18)

Many verses of the Bible tell us that although there will be many Antichrists or apocryphal prophets, that will appear between the time duration of Christ's first and second incarnation, there will be one who will be the greatest of them all.

He will have unleashed power in the 'last hour' or at the end times, and will deny the presence of all three, God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

There have been many instances when the members of the mainstream Christianity have been deceived by the spirit of the Antichrist. There are two mistakes that were committed in the past and were exactly opposite to each other. Both the doctrines are examples of how the spirit of the Antichrist keeps working subtly.

The Jewish, in the first century, had foreseen a Messiah who would come as a conquering king and establish the Kingdom of God. But when he came as a man of flesh and bones and became an example of the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of mankind, they failed to recognize him.

Today, Christians have accepted that Christ became the perfect sacrifice for their sins but disbelieve that he will come to Earth as a conquering king. What does Bible say about the Antichrist? It has not given us the exact name and time but has given some clues of what he will be like.

According to John, there are 'many' antichrists that have already come and would be coming, but the major mistake committed was that we waited for 'The One'. He has stated in 1 John 2:18 , 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.

He has also told about who these antichrists will be in 1 John 4:3 , and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

There is no denying the fact that there will be a unique Antichrist. His arrival will precede the Second Coming of the Christ and his identity will not be completely revealed until then. Revelation Chapter 13, paints a picture of the Antichrist. It shows that he will have a dominant force overall. The description has been given further.

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. 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. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast...

...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?" And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months...

...Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation...

...All who dwell on 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. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and faith of saints. (Revelation 13: 1-10)

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

...He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived...

...He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed...

...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, 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...

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. (Revelation 13:11-18)

It is concluded by many scholars of Christianity that the first beast, with ten horns and seven heads, may represent a political leader who will achieve worldwide authority through his plans. Many people also believe that he has been resurrected from the dead because of reference made to his 'mortal wound' that was healed.

The second beast is like a supporting act for the first beast. He will also want a place of leadership in the all-pervading religious community that rightly belongs to the Christ. A description has been given that he will look like a lamb (Christ) and speaks like a dragon (Satan).

He is a deceiver and would want to work as a religious leader in association with the political leader and Satan (who will empower them), thus fulfilling the false trinity. There are many other passages in the Bible that mention the word Antichrist.

"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. (contd..)

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us." 1 John 2:18-19

Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 1 John 2:22-23

By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 1 John 4:2-3

For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 2 John 1:7

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?" Mark 13:3-8

And Jesus, answering them, began to say: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and will deceive many. But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet...

...For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.

"Teacher, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that these things are about to take place?" Luke 21:7 To which he replied - "Watch out that you are not misled. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not follow them!" Luke 21:8

"Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Matthew 24:23-24

It should be noted that in Mark 13:6, Luke 21:8 and Matthew 24:5, the words "in My name" is used. It should not be confused with those deceivers who will claim that 'Jesus is the Messiah' and that he had sent them. "in My name" will imply that they themselves were the self-proclaimed Messiah.

Disclaimer: This write-up does not claim to have a complete or perfect explanation or interpretation of all the aspects in the Bible and is not connected to any church, sect, or religious organization. It has just highlighted the contents from a biblical perspective.