The Antichrist

The Antichrist
By Chris Schang

In Matthew 24:15-21, 30 and 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8 the Bible gives us some signs that indicate the end of the world is nearing. The coming “man of sin” will rise to prominence on the world stage. This rise to prominence is likely to be the result of the chaos created in the world by the future Gog and Magog war as foretold in Ezekiel 38-39. The coming “Antichrist” or man of sin will make a covenant with Israel for seven years which will be the most horrible time in the history of mankind. It will be a time of unparalleled horror and destruction. The Antichrist will likely come from the area of Western Europe as the Bible describes this man as “the prince of the people who destroyed the Temple and Sanctuary”. This of course is recorded in our history books as the Romans. The Romans destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the Second Temple in 70 AD just as Jesus prophesied thirty odd years earlier.

The coming Antichrist will be the most sinful and wicked man to ever live. The fact that we are living in the end times today gives thought to the fact that somewhere in Western Europe the Antichrist could be literally “waiting in the wings” so to speak to make his move on the world stage. This coming “prince of darkness” is eventually defile the the coming Third Temple that will be rebuilt after the supernatural victory of Israel over the Gog and Magog allies that were lead by the Russians. This defilement of the Third Temple is specifically called the “abomination of desolation” that occurs at the mid point of the tribulation period. This abomination of desolation will kick off what is commonly referred to as the “Great Tribulation”. While the entire seven year tribulation period is considered the wrath of God, as evidenced by the two sided scroll of Revelation which always refers to wrath in the Bible, the last half of the tribulation period was labeled by Jesus himself as the period of “great tribulation” as never seen before on Earth. While the terrible seal and trumpet judgments have been opened on the Earth, the coming Bowl judgments are viewed as the worse of the three series of judgments from the scroll.

After the Antichrist commits the abomination of desolation at the mid point of the tribulation period he begins a period of intense persecution of God’s chosen people – the Jews. Despite the fact that most postmillennialists believe that Christ’s prophecy about the abomination of desolation was fulfilled in 70 Ad, most Christians believe that this was merely a foreshadow of things to come in the future. The fact is the Third Temple has not be constructed and that two-thirds of humanity being destroyed has never happened in history. These prophecies and many more about the coming Antichrist still await future fulfillment. And at the rate things are going today, it may not be long before the finally have a chance to occur especially with all political eyes on the Israel and the status of Jerusalem.

At the mid point of the tribulation period it is noteworthy that the Antichrist will be killed with a head or neck wound, probably by a religious Jew who is outraged at the stoppage of the animal sacrifices and the defilement of the Third Temple. The Bible tells us that the Antichrist will be brought back to life miraculously and that Satan himself will indwell the Antichrist as he continues on for the next three and half years carrying out his evil plans of destroying the Jews and thereby trying to change God’s Word. The Antichrist will act in tandem with his sidekick the False Prophet. The False Prophet will serve the Antichrist by directing mankind’s worship away from God and towards the Antichrist. The False Prophet will be given powers to perform miracles and all sorts of lying wonders and signs in order to deceive those who who are willing to follow the Antichrist.

Fortunately, the reign of terror that lasts for three and a half years will be stopped by the Lord Jesus Christ himself at his Second Coming. At the Second Coming the Lord Jesus will destroy his enemies, and throw the unholy trinity of Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet into Hell. Believers in Jesus Christ need not worry about the Antichrist as the pre-tribulational rapture of the church will spare believers from him. The Bible says that that believers are not destined to wrath, but to salvation through Jesus Christ. We have that promise and hope that God will deliver us from the time and place of his wrath. So while the Antichrist is yet to come in the future, we do know that even today there are many “antichrists” who display the opposite characteristics of Christ. The Bible tells us that they are already in the world, yet he has overcome the world. And in the end, Jesus will return in glory and redeem mankind.

God bless.