Interestingly, while I’ve been working on a post about the characteristics of the antichrist, I’ve had a few conversations lately with people who are reading books that propose that there is NO “the antichrist”.     Please forgive me if I’ve been rather zealous on the topic, but you’ll see why I think this is an important issue.   Mostly everyone agreed, myself included,  that there are many antichrists   (1 John 2:18) but some were questioning whether the Scriptures pointed also to “the antichrist”.

Personally, I don’t see how one can read the whole of Scripture and not come to the conclusion that there is also the Antichrist.  It seems that a few relevant Scriptures were not considered: 2 Thessalonians 2

In verse 3, we find “the man of sin” aka “the son of perdition”.   How plain can it be that there is an actual “man of sin”, aka the “lawless one” (vs. 8 ) who will come on the earthly scene prior to  Christ’s return?     Perhaps we can just agree to call him “the man of sin” but I think the term “antichrist” expresses it well, since he “opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.” (vs.4).  Now that sounds like someone who is the antithesis of Our Lord!

2 Thessalonians 2:4  sounds strikingly like Matthew 24:15 which refers to the “abomination of desolation” which you can read all about in Daniel 11:31.   Reading all those with Revelation 13, Revelation 20, Daniel 7, Daniel 8 one gets a remarkably consistent portrait of the dragon, aka devil, aka Satan operating in men for his evil purposes in defiance to the One True God YHWH.   (There’s a lot of studying in all that!)

Of course, Old Testament Scriptures were historically fulfilled… up to a point, but all will be fulfilled.    Old Testament prophecies often foreshadow things to come:

Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 1 Corinthians 10:11

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.  Romans 15:4

So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,  which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Colossians 2:16-17

To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.   1 Peter 1:12

Whether or not you think that there is an ultimate culmination of Scriptural prophecies in the antichrist, it’s best to know the negative traits that could characterize such a warped being.   On a practical level, would it make a difference if one were resisting an antichrist or the antichrist?   Had more people recognized Hitler for the antichrist spirit influencing him early on, would so many have been brought under his destructive spell?   As C.S. Lewis so deftly illustrates in The Screwtape Letters, a ploy of the enemy is to keep us in denial of his existence.  You can’t fight an unrecognized foe.    So it is rather interesting that this new theory pops up at this particular time.

This final scripture shows the unholy triune alliance that is prophesied in Revelation.

Revelation 20:10 (NKJV)  “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 devil is one; the beast is two; the false prophet is three.  This is the unholy triune alliance.

Be saved from hell and destruction.  For Christians, Jesus Christ is our blessed hope!

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Interesting SIDE NOTE:

“And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. (Luke 10:18-19)

Al-Burak (Barac) which means “lightning” was the name of Mohammed’s white horse.

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