The two Bible writers who speak most about the Antichrist are the Prophet Daniel in the Old Testament and the Apostle John in the New Testament.
The Apostle Paul also speaks of the Antichrist in one of his letters, and the Lord makes one reference to him too. There are other scriptures thought to reference the Antichrist, but there’s not a lot of certainty or clarity, and too much to try to explain in this article. This article is meant to be brief, providing the primary characteristics of the Antichrist and Bible references for that. It is not an exhaustive study on the Antichrist.
How is the Term Antichrist Used?
“Anti-” means against and, put together with Christ, means “against Christ.”
Here are 3 ways the Apostle John uses the term antichrist:
- There is an antichrist spirit that is a part of Satan’s domain, operating in the world since the time of John the Baptist, who came to announce the coming Christ.
- Anyone who denies Christ are antichrists (small a).
- There is also one man who is called THE Antichrist, who will be inhabited by Satan himself. He will be Satan’s instrument on earth at the very end of this age to try to “steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10) all that he possibly can before Jesus Christ returns.
Who Coined the Term Antichrist?
The Apostle John is the only writer in the Bible who uses the name Antichrist, saying that THE Antichrist will come (I John 2:18). He also tells how the spirit of antichrist was in the world even during New Testament times (I John 2:22; 4:3; II John 1:7). That Antichrist spirit continues today stronger than ever.
Lastly, John tells us that whoever denies Christ is an antichrist (small a). He doesn’t mean they are demon possessed, or any such thing – only that anyone who has heard the gospel message and refuses Christ is against Christ, or an antichrist. In Matthew 12:30, Jesus said, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.”
Lastly, in Revelation chapter 13, John tells how Satan (the Dragon) will actually come down and inhabit the Antichrist (also called the Beast) and wield his evil power over the whole world for 3 1/2 years.
In that same chapter, we find the first assistant to the Antichrist who is “another Beast” empowered by Satan similar to the Antichrist. He heals the Antichrist from “a deadly wound” and forces “the whole world to worship the image of the Beast” (the Antichrist). Also, the second Beast does great signs and wonders to deceive and amaze the whole world (except for those believers who are being persecuted).
That second Beast is called the False Prophet in Revelation chapters 16:13; 19:20; and 20:10.
SUMMARY:
There is the spirit of antichrist. Then there are those who do not believe the Gospel of God and so they are antichrists (small a); and finally, there is one who is coming called The Antichrist, all these things revealed to the Apostle John. The Antichrist is also called the Beast, the Son of Perdition, the Wicked One, and more. Another Beast, called the False Prophet is his evil helper; and finally, both the Antichrist and the False Prophet are empower by Satan (the Dragon, that Old Serpent).
FIRST LIST OF ANTICHRIST TRAITS
In Revelation 13, John describes the Antichrist with the following characteristics:
- Wounded with a deadly wound that’s miraculously healed;
- Commanding Worship from everyone in the world;
- A Warrior whom no one will challenge, with power over the whole world;
- Blasphemer against God;
- Waring against the saints with persecution to the death;
- Desecrates the Temple in Jerusalem (to be built soon);
- Marker who puts a mark on the forehead and/or hand of everyone on earth;
- Controller of all things in all the world, so that none can buy or sell without worshiping him and bearing his mark.
SECOND LIST OF ANTICHRIST TRAITS
The Prophet Daniel speaks about the Antichrist in Daniel chapters 7, 9, and possibly in the last few verses of chapter 11.
Daniel describes him as follows:
- Powerful, conquering, and even devouring kings/nations;
- Pompous, even boasting against God;
- Persecutor of the saints all over the world for 3 1/2 years;
- Prince who is to come, destroying the sanctuary in Jerusalem;
- Praiser who uses great flattery to gain the favor of all people.
THIRD LIST OF ANTICHRIST TRAITS
Finally, the Apostle Paul writes about the Antichrist in his second letter to the Thessalonian church, in II Thessalonians 2. There, Paul refers to the Antichrist as follows:
- Man of Sin;
- Son of Perdition (perdition means “damned to destruction”);
- One in Opposition to Christ;
- One who Exalts Himself above all that is called God;
- One who Sits in the Temple and is Worshiped;
- One who Shows Himself as if He is God;
- Wicked One;
- One with Powers and Signs and Lying Wonders;
- One who Deceives the Unrighteous (those who rejected salvation through Jesus Christ).
FOURTH IMPORTANT MENTION
Our Lord confirms what the Prophet Daniel had written about him some 550 to 600 years prior. He said that the one Daniel prophesied about would be the same one to commit the abomination of desolation in the Temple (yet to be built) in Jerusalem. In Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, Jesus said of the Antichrist:
- One Who Would Commit the Abomination of Desolation (desecrate the Temple).
Daniel, John, Paul, and our Lord Jesus are all speaking of the same man who is raised to power at the end of this age.
Note: The Temple was completely destroyed in 70 AD by the Romans, about 37 years after Jesus prophesied of its destruction. Some believers attribute what Jesus said about the Abomination of Desolation to that time, but that is impossible. What Daniel prophesied has not taken place at all. Neither has what John or Paul prophesied about. What is more, the Lord Jesus did not send His angels to gather the Harvest at that time either. Clearly, what our Lord and others prophesied in the Bible about the Antichrist is still to come.
FINALLY:
The prophet Isaiah refers to someone who could be the Antichrist; but for many, that reference is uncertain. However, if Isaiah 10:5-34 does refer to the Antichrist, he will be a man of Assyrian descent. Other references perceived by some scholars to be about the Antichrist indicate the same. Today, Assyria would be in the regions of Syria, Turkey, or perhaps even Iran.
- Early Church history tradition shows that most believers thought the Antichrist would be of Jewish descent, or perhaps half Jewish.
- For decades, lots of people have tried to pin the title of the Antichrist on one of America’s presidents but there is absolutely nothing Biblical to indicate any such thing. Everything Biblical clearly indicates he is from the Middle East, or Europe, and very possibly of Jewish descent. It is almost certain that he is not a Westerner.
- It is reasonable to believe the Antichrist will come to power suddenly, when there is a vacuum in world leadership very much like what we see today.
- The Apostle Paul seems to teach the Antichrist will appear before believers are raptured out of the world to be with Jesus (II Thessalonians 2). This is uncertain, however. The Lord seems to teach the same thing in The Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:15-31).
- Personally, I believe we may know who he is before we are raptured out of the world, but that we will not be here during the time when he demands to be worshiped, when the Mark of the Beast is given, as told in Revelation chapter 13. I believe this because Revelation chapter 13 appears to take place during the time when God’s Wrath is poured out on the Christ-rejecting world, and the Bible says that we (whoever is in Christ) is not appointed to wrath but will be saved from wrath (Romans 5:9; I Thessalonians 5:9).
The Antichrist Comes to an End!
When his God-given time for ruling the world is over, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself will capture the Antichrist and the False Prophet and throw them into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 19:19-21). They are never seen again! Satan’s fate is next!
Later, Satan Comes to an End Too!
Jesus will bind Satan (The Dragon/That Old Serpent), and throw him into a bottomless pit for 1,000 years while Jesus Christ rules the world in righteousness (Revelation 20:1-6).
After the 1,000 years, Satan will be loosed for a short time and will stir up unbelieving kings and nations of the world to make war against Jesus Christ one final time. They will be easily defeated, and that’s when Satan will be thrown into hell for eternity (Revelation 20:7-10). We will never see him again! Hallelujah!
