What is Antichrist? In these last days, this ought to be a burning question. Who is the Antichrist? How can a lover of Christ identify him? What will he look like? How will he behave? Where will his headquarters be located?
If you are expecting here an identification of a man or men who are Antichrist, you will be disappointed. If you are expecting a prediction as to how many years before Antichrist arises, you will not find it here. We hope to be faithful to the Reformed tradition of sober exegesis of God's Word and careful maintenance of the Reformed faith. (Besides, a desire to identify the Antichrist has often sidetracked the church from the important present calling she has regarding Antichrist's spirit. To see what we mean by this, read on to the end.)
The confessions of Reformed churches say very little about Antichrist. Except for passing references, one finds very little on eschatology (the doctrine of the last things) in the Reformed confessions, and nothing in The Three Forms of Unity (Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession, and Canons of Dort) about Antichrist. This is not due to lack of firm positions on eschatology at the time the confessions were written (between AD 1563 and 1619) but to this, that eschatology was not one of the vital issues of the Reformation.
Nevertheless, the Reformers themselves had a good deal to say about Antichrist, not systematically, but throughout the whole of their writings. A treatise of Martin Luther written shortly before his death in 1546 was entitled, "Against the Roman Papacy; an Institution of the Devil." Luther began the holy tirade thus:
"The Most Hellish Father, Saint Paul III, in his supposed capacity as the bishop of the Roman church..." (Luther's Works, Fortress Press, Volume 41, pg 263). In that treatise he says that the pope is "the head of the accursed church of all the worst scoundrels on earth, a vicar of the devil, an enemy of God, an adversary of Christ, a destroyer of Christ's churches, a teacher of lies... a brothel-keeper over all brothel-keepers and all vermin, even that which cannot be named; an Antichrist..." (ibid., page 357-358).
In Calvin's treatise of AD 1544 entitled "The Necessity of Reforming the Church" (Selected Works of John Calvin, Volume 1, part 1, Tracts, Baker: 1983), Calvin says, "I deny that See (the Roman Catholic's throne of authority: BLG) to be Apostolical, wherein nought is seen but a shocking apostasy -- I deny him to be the Vicar of Christ, who, in furiously persecuting the gospel, demonstrates by his conduct that he is Antichrist..." (pp. 219, 220).
The Westminster Confession, Presbyterian creed of the next century, includes an article in which it boldly identifies the pope as Antichrist.
"There is no other head of the church but the Lord Jesus Christ. Nor can the pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition that exalteth himself in the church against Christ and all that is called God" (chapter 25, art. 6).
As heirs of the Reformation and as those told to discern the signs of the times, we, too, are concerned with the Antichrist. We will consider, then, Antichrist's identity, his purpose and method, our calling to oppose him, and his certain destruction.
ANTICHRIST'S IDENTITY
General description
Scripture teaches Antichrist to be a political, religious, individual, yet to come in the future (as of this writing), who is opposed to God and God's Christ and God's church. Although the only places in Scripture the name Antichrist is used are I and II John (I John 2:18,22,4:3, II John 7), the Bible is replete with instruction regarding the reality we call Antichrist. The key passages are Daniel 7, 8, 11; Matthew 24; II Thessalonians 2; and Revelation 13, 17 and 18 -- where Antichrist is referred to as a beast, a little horn, a false Christ, that wicked one, and the man of sin.
Antichrist: a false Christ
Antichrist's name gives us indication of what he is. He is Anti-christ As every Jew knows, the name Christ is simply the Greek translation of the Hebrew Messiah, whom the Jews expected to come in God's name to save them. The Messiah, or Christ, is the one anointed by God and qualified to carry out a certain work in God's name. Christ's work is to redeem God's people from sin and death by His own death, and to renew God's creation as a creation of righteousness and peace. The man Jesus of Nazareth (died circa AD 33) is this Christ. He is God's anointed, the servant of Jehovah. He is qualified to do the work of redeeming God's people and renewing creation. The confession of the church down through the ages is, "Jesus is the Christ."
Antichrist is a false Christ, according to Matthew 24:24. He claims to be anointed by God with the Holy Spirit and claims to be qualified to do the work in God's name of redeeming God's people and renewing the creation. But he is not. He is a liar. His claims are false. He is a false Christ.
Antichrist: opposed to Christ and to God
A little word study may help to understand the prefix "anti" in the name Antichrist. Just as antivenom is given to counteract the venom of a snake bite, and antiseptic is used against infection, so Antichrist is against, is opposed to, Jesus Christ. This tells us the essence of what Antichrist is: he is opposition to God's Christ. He is opposition to Christ personally; he is against Christ's Church; he is against Christ's Word, Holy Scripture. Furthermore, because Christ's mission is to show the name of Jehovah God to men by showing Himself to them (see John 17:6, John 14:8,9, and Revelation 13:6), Antichrist is opposed to God Himself.
So, although the Antichrist will leave the impression that his motivating force is love, concern for humanity, and pity for the oppressed, what drives Antichrist is not love but hatred. The one motivating force in his life is opposition to Jesus Christ, opposition to all that He stands for, and to all that stand for Him.
Antichrist: in place of Christ
The name Antichrist also indicates substitution. Antichrist opposes Jesus in order to supplant Him, to take His place as Christ. Although the English language does not often use the prefix "anti" to mean substitution, it is a common use of the preposition in the Greek language. When Scripture says that Jesus died "for His people," one of the prepositions used is anti indicating that He died as a substitute for His people. This is the secondary meaning of the preposition anti. Antichrist purposes to be "in the place of," or "a substitute for" Jesus the Christ.
II Thessalonians 2 points out how Antichrist comes as an impostor of the Christ from God, and how there is a striking outward similarity between Antichrist and Christ. Will Jesus Christ be revealed some day? So will Antichrist (Vss 3,8). Will Christ be in God's temple? Antichrist will sit there also (Vs 4). Is Christ God? Antichrist will claim to be (Vs 4). Did Christ support His claim to be God with signs and wonders? Antichrist, too, will perform signs and wonders (Vs 9). Christ has a kingdom; so will Antichrist. Christ comes by the power of the Spirit; Antichrist will come by the power of a spirit, who is the devil himself.
Does it surprise anyone, then, that in the Middle Ages Antichrist was called the "ape of Christ"? He comes in the place of Christ, making himself out to be Christ. In every way mimicking Christ, Antichrist will propose to be Christ. Antichrist is Satan's counterpart to Christ. Jesus was God's choice to establish His kingdom, redeem His people, renew creation; Antichrist is Satan's choice to establish his kingdom, gather in as many people as he can, and subject all to himself. All of God's plan hinges on the works of Jesus, the Christ; all of Satan's plans hinge on the working and success of Antichrist.
Antichrist: an individual person
Although there is difference of opinion among Reformed students of Scripture regarding this, it is not difficult to see why many believe that Antichrist will be one man.
A reality that stands opposed to Jesus, but also that claims to be the Christ, the anointed of God, must be a man as Christ was a man, a man in whom they put their trust, a man to whom the people can look for deliverance from their miseries. How can something claim to be Jesus, the man, and not be a man himself? Supporting this logic, II Thessalonians 2 seems to make this plain. Antichrist is "that man of sin" and "the son of perdition" (Vs 3); he shows "himself that he is God" (Vs 4); he is "that wicked (one)" (Vs 8).
Antichrist will be a definite individual, a particular human being. A single individual of outstanding ability and extraordinary power will arise, who is opposed to Jesus Christ and claims to be the Christ.
It is significant that Antichrist will be a man. Antichrist will not be some strange creature, unrecognizable to you and me, some foreigner, a man from Mars or another solar system. Antichrist will not be a stranger to humanity. Indeed, he will be the final and full development of man, of the human race. You will know him well, for his nature will be your nature. Man always has and always will claim equality and identity with God (witness the insane ravings of the Shirley MacLaines and others today). This man's claims will be believable; he will be one of us.
Antichrist: a political power
Revelation 13 gives further instruction about Antichrist, teaching that his kingdom will be both a political and an ecclesiastical empire. The vision of Revelation 13 must be read in the light of Revelation 12, where the dragon cast out of heaven, identified as the devil and Satan, pursues the woman (who represents the church of Christ) in the new dispensation.
The dragon is angry because the woman's man-child, Jesus Christ, is caught up into heaven before the dragon can devour him. Now he spits his poisonous black bile on the woman, persecuting her, making war with her seed! He hates and tries to devastate the church.
In chapter 13 we have the appearance of two beasts which are the product of the dragon in chapter 12-- his creation and servants ("...and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority" (Vs. 3). This first beast is a wild animal which arises out of the sea. It looks like a leopard, but its feet are like bear's feet and its mouth like a lion's. Its seven heads and ten horns make us think of the dragon himself in chapter 12:3 where he was pictured with seven heads and ten horns. The heads of the beast are full of blasphemy. And one of the heads has a scar from a wound now healed. After the beast has risen from the sea, the whole world worships this beast, while it spews out blasphemies against God and makes war with the saints and overcomes them.
This is the same beast that Revelation 17:3 refers to, where it is described as scarlet in color, ridden by a great whore. If you study the vision in Revelation 13 in connection with Daniel 7, you will see that the vision of Revelation 13 is based on that of Daniel 7, and that the beast of Revelation 13 is the beast of Daniel 7. John's beast from the sea is a combination of the leopard, bear, lion, and indescribable fourth beast of Daniel 7, whose ten horns give rise to one horn that speaks great, boastful things, and makes war with the saints and prevails!
What does this beast from the sea represent? Antichrist! But Antichrist as a world government, a political power, the likes of which this world has never seen. The origin of this beast is the sea, which represents the restless nations and peoples of the earth. Isaiah 57:20 teaches, "The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose water cast up mire and dirt." If more is needed, Revelation 17 tells us that "the waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples and multitudes and nations." Little doubt is left when we see that the beast has horns and crowns. In Scripture horns are symbolic of power, and crowns of ruling authority. Besides, Revelation 13:2 says that the beast has power and a throne and great authority; and verse 7 says that he has power over all kindreds and tongues and nations. If any question remains, Daniel 7 says that the four beasts are four kings; and Revelation 17 says the beast from the earth is a king. The centuries of division and separation on this earth will end in one world government. The Antichrist is a political reality, a new world order, a global unity.
We emphasize the point in the preceding paragraph because there is often the impression that Antichrist will simply be a religious figure. Scripture makes clear, however, that Anti-christ will be a political power.
This political power will be a worldwide power. The beast has ten horns and ten crowns, representing fullness of power and authority over the nations of the world. Verse 3 says that all the world wondered after the beast. Verse 7 says that he has power over all kindreds and tongues and nations. And verse 8 says that all that dwell on the earth shall worship him (all, of course, except those whose names have been written in the Lamb's book of life).
But it is a worldwide power that is the goal of, and embodiment of, all previous world powers. This is brought out in Revelation 13 in two ways. Follow along carefully as we look at this important point. First, the beast of Revelation 13 has the characteristics of a leopard, a bear, and a lion, so that, even though it is the final development of Daniel 7's fourth beast, it somehow embodies the other three as well. The four beasts of Daniel 7, almost all agree, represent four great world kingdoms: Babylon headed by Nebuchadnezzar; the Medes and Persians led by Cyrus; Greece and Macedonia under Alexander the Great, and, finally, Rome. The beast of Revelation 13 is the final development of the old, Roman kingdom (which indicates that Antichrist will come out of the Christian West, and not the pagan East), but it takes into itself also the other great kingdoms.
Secondly, that Antichrist's is a worldwide kingdom is also the meaning of the seven heads of the beast described in Revelation 17. The 7 heads of the beast are 7 kingdoms-- five of them had already fallen, one of them was still standing (at the time John wrote this prophecy about AD 95), and one yet to come. Rome was the kingdom in existence, and the one yet to come is the Antichristian kingdom. The five which have already passed out of existence were the Greek kingdom, the Medo-Persian, the Babylonian, the Assyrian, and the kingdom of Babel, headed by Nimrod. We see, therefore, one beast with seven heads. And now the Spirit teaches us that the great kingdom of Antichrist, as the embodiment of these former kingdoms, succeeds where the other kingdoms ultimately failed, achieving its goal of world dominance. Nations cease their warring; the planet is united; the world is one. And that world belongs to Antichrist.
The healing of the wound in Revelation 13 points to the success of Antichrist. We must not fail to see the significance of the healing of the wound.
One of the heads of this beast had a "deadly wound that was healed." The explanation of this is that in the time of Nimrod, at the tower of Babel, there was an attempt to unite all men into one great world power. God frustrated this attempt by dividing the men and women into different races with different colors and languages, so that they were forced to separate. Races have remained separate ever since. All their efforts to be united have been frustrated up to this point. At the end, Antichrist will succeed.
This, we believe, is what II Thessalonians 2 speaks of when it says, "he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way." That is, "He that restraineth, will restrain...." There is something or someone that restrains, hinders, impedes, the Antichrist from coming; but in the end, that hindrance will be taken out of the way so that the Antichrist can succeed in uniting all the kingdoms and nations of the world into one.
One must be blind and deaf not to detect this happening today. In a way that has never happened before, that was impossible before, nations are holding hands and talking peace. Walls are coming down. Economies are becoming more and more interdependent. The union of all the world into one is on the horizon. One day soon the sun will rise on a united world, and Antichrist will be its bright and morning star.
Antichrist: an ecclesiastical power
But Antichrist is not only a beast from the sea. The second part of the vision in Revelation 13 further reveals him as another beast, one arising from the earth. This beast serves the first beast, wielding the power of the first beast, making all the world worship the first beast, and showing that without it the first beast is nothing. And the point of the vision is that the reality of Antichrist is two cooperating powers, the one political, the other, ecclesiastical.
The beast that arises out of the earth looks like a lamb. It had two horns of a lamb, but it was a beast. So immediately we understand the nature of this beast; it is a deceptive creature -- a ferocious beast disguised as a gentle lamb. The horror is that this beast masquerades as Jesus Christ, who is THE Lamb of God. This beast, too, is powerful, for it has horns. However, the power of this beast is not political or military. Rather, its power is the power of persuasive speech. It speaks like a dragon, persuading the world to worship the first beast, to build an image of the first beast, and to bow down to it.
It is plain that this beast represents false religion. Preaching and teaching make men worship something or someone. But this is false teaching and lying preaching. That's evident from the fact that this beast looks like a lamb, looks like Jesus Christ and all that Jesus Christ represents, but in actuality is a beast. He claims to speak like Jesus, but has the foul breath and fiery speech (in the eyes and nostrils of God) of a dragon.
This beast will not arise from Hinduism or Buddhism or any other pagan religion; he will arise out of Christianity itself. Few Christians would believe a Ghandi's claim to be Christ. When one looks at Revelation 19:20, that becomes obvious. There, in the passage that describes the defeat of Antichrist, we read that the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that worked miracles before the beast. This second beast represents false Christianity, the apostate church that calls itself "the Church of Christ" (we mean by this designation the broad "church," and do not intend it to be confused with a certain denomination of that name).
The work of the second beast is the service of the first, the cooperating with the Antichristian world government. What is that service? It is causing all the world to worship the first beast. He will call all men and women of the world to bow down to the first beast, who is the "Savior of the world." Now the prophecy of Revelation 17 comes to pass: the kings of the earth commit fornication with the whore, the false church.
If one asks what he should look for in the days to come, we say this: there will be political union all nations will be gathered together into one mighty empire. This is the first beast. There will also be religious union, joining all the religions and religious empires of the world. The powerful ecumenical movement of today, led by the religions of Christianity, will in the end fully succeed, swallowing up all the other religions of the world. You may expect to see one man over it all. Antichrist.
ANTICHRIST'S PURPOSE
Why in the world would anyone work such deceitful effrontery? Why such effort in a sham kingdom? Why would any man with that kind of worldwide sovereignty even want his kingdom identified with Christ, labeled with the name of God?
To ask these questions is to answer them. Antichrist's purpose is to destroy the saints, God's elect. And here we get to the heart of the matter. The man Antichrist, indwelt by Satan's spirit, is opposed to God and opposed to Jesus His Christ. With a hatred that can be traced back to the fall of the angels prior to Genesis 3, he despises God and God's cause in Jesus. But he cannot touch God because God cast him out of heaven, according to Revelation 12; and he cannot touch God's Christ, because Jesus was caught up into heaven. So the only thing that remains for him to do is to breathe his fire on the seed of the woman, the Church of Christ. Revelation 12 describes this church as the "remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." In Matthew 24 they are described as the "elect" of God.
The devil knows that to attack the Church is to attack Jesus, the Christ; and to do damage to the body of Christ is to inflict damage upon Christ. He also knows that, because the members of the church are the chosen of God, eternally loved by God (Deuteronomy 7:6-8), to destroy them is equivalent to defeating God. So the objects of his fury are the beloved of God.
His worldwide empire will be less an inflating of his ego than an attempt to see come to pass his millennia-long dream of defeating God and God's purpose in the woman's Seed. In his mind, the promise of God that the Serpent's head would be crushed must never be fulfilled. He must have the victory over and defeat God. To defeat God's people is to defeat God.
He desires to have you, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ -- the elect of God. And if that is true, you must know how he works. You must understand his methods.
ANTICHRIST'S METHODS
Antichrist goes about his business by speaking the lie. II Thessalonians 2 says that he comes "with all deceivableness of unrighteousness." Revelation 13:12 says, "and he spoke as a dragon...." Revelation 17 tells us that he was a false prophet, a prophet being one whose calling it is to speak and to teach. The armies of the world may have guns and tanks and bombs to bring people into submission; but the power of speech and ideas is a mighty power. In his initial attempts to destroy the cause of God, the devil used a serpent to deceive the woman with crooked speech: "You will be like God." Now he uses a "dragon" who speaks crafty, lying words. His speeches will be heard by millions who will hang on his persuasive rhetoric. The content as well as the form of his speech will attract. Like most false prophets, he will even be sincere and passionate. But he is a liar. He adds dashes of truth to the mix, so that his lie tastes like truth. He will use all the right catchwords, using the language of the church, even throwing in a Bible text or two. But he is the ultimate Liar, and will deceive many.
He will use every tool available: school teachers, politicians, news broadcasters, artists, musicians, scientists and doctors, lawyers and businessmen. All will be pressed into the service of Antichrist to deceive men. But especially he will use those whose calling it is to persuade and to teach -- men who claim to be preachers of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
What is this message that has such power to deceive? What is it that is preached by the now-apostate churches once rooted in true Christianity, that stirs up mankind to this ecumenical worship? What gospel will attract the hordes of men and women? What good news will knit the souls of such diverse peoples and nations and tongues?
The gospel of Antichrist is humanism -- the happiness of man, the glory of man, the peace and prosperity, the health and wealth of man. The number of the beast, do not forget, is 6-6-6, the number of man.
But we remind you, the Antichrist deceives. He will not tip his hand by declaring publicly, "I am the Antichrist." He will not claim that there is no God, no Christ, no salvation, and that the message of the Bible is a lie. But he will say, "I am your Messiah; you are God (Shirley MacLaine has comrades and consorts in the Rastifarians of Jamaica, whose word for "divine" is "I-vine"!); and an earthly life of peace and prosperity, of health and happiness -- that is salvation." The distant rumblings of Antichrist's thunder are growing louder.
Performing miracles, Antichrist will establish himself and validate his claim as God's anointed. This is the emphasis of II Thessalonians 2. Men have always performed miracles to establish their authority, presenting them as the credentials of their divine appointment. Moses did in Egypt. Elijah did on Mount Carmel. Jesus Christ and His apostles did. So will Antichrist. Revelation 13:13 says that the second beast "doeth great wonders..." and verse 14 that "he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast." Matthew 24:24 indicates the same thing: "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." This is the teaching of II Thessalonians 2:9, "even him whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders...." The works of Antichrist will be the works of Satan, who has power beyond the natural ability of man.
Nor will these be fake miracles. These will not be just magic tricks of talented men like Harry Houdini and David Copperfield, but amazing deeds that simply defy explanation in human, scientific terms. Buttressing the claims of Antichrist will be nothing less than the superhuman power of the devil himself.
THE CHURCH'S CALLING: OPPOSE ANTICHRIST PRESENTLY
The critical danger for the church today is exactly the reality called Antichrist. There is a danger that the church, as it were, posts a lookout to scan the horizon for Antichrist, so that the lookout can warn the people of God when the enemy has arrived and sound the warning to give battle. In the meantime the church is busy with its own legitimate work, but supposes that the Antichrist is of no danger presently. That is precisely what Antichrist wants the church to believe.
God's call to His people is to oppose the Antichrist now. We are not saying here that the Christian's calling is to be ready to oppose Antichrist when he comes, urgent as that calling is. We are saying that our calling and the calling that we urge you to carry out is this: Oppose the opposer of Jesus Christ presently. Not someday, but today.
It is possible to oppose him now, for he is present now. Before you race ahead to find us naming names, or identifying persons and churches, let us explain. I John 2:18 does not say, "Antichrist shall come" but "Antichrist comes...." That is, there is a process of Antichrist coming all down through the history of this world. This process involves the coming of many Antichrists (in the plural). Thus, Matthew 24 can warn of "false Christs" and can say that many shall come in Jesus' name saying, "I am Christ." This also explains how Paul can say in II Thessalonians 2 that the mystery of iniquity is working. Even as Paul wrote that letter, the mystery of iniquity was active in the world, preparing the way for the final Antichrist and his work.
Recognizing Antichrist's "spirit"
Even in the old dispensation there were Antichrists, like Nimrod, Nebuchadnezzar, Antiochus Epiphanes, and others. But especially in the New Testament since Christ's ascension, Antichrist has been coming. The great Antichristian kingdom with its mighty head will not appear ex nihilo, out of nothing, but will be the result of a long and gradual development. And that long and gradual development is and has been the work of the spirit of Antichrist, the spirit of Satan himself, laying the groundwork, preparing the way, making ready for the revelation of the man of sin, the son of perdition.
Was it wrong, then, of the Reformers to say that the pope was Antichrist? If the Reformers meant that the pope at that time, Pope St. Paul III, or another, was the personal Antichrist, the man of sin, the final culmination of the Devil's work in this world, they were mistaken. He did not complete the picture the Scripture draws. But one may not dismiss the Reformers as wild-eyed fanatics. Consider: the pope is and was also a political figure. That is no less plain today than it was in Luther's day. Then already the pope laid claim to the right to crown kings and invest them with the authority to rule the world. Today, the Vatican has its ambassadors in almost every nation of the world and even we, the United States, send our own representatives to the pope. The pope is a political head.
Rome has always embodied the Antichristian spirit and principles: a headship that is in a man, a pope, a hierarchy; an authority of tradition in addition to the one Word of God; a salvation by works in addition to faith and grace; a worship of another (Mary) in addition to the worship of the one alone in whose name we find salvation (Acts 4:12).
A present struggle
The struggle of the people of God against Antichrist has always been and will always be a present struggle. The call to oppose Antichrist must always be given in the present imperative. Whether in the future the church's children (your children and my children) are able to withstand the Man of Sin, the Son of Perdition, depends, to a great degree, on the success of the battle we wage against his spirit today.
The second beast is working; his labor is under way. We are not referring to specific persons, or particular institutions and churches. We are referring to the spirit of our age that rejects God and God's Word, and promotes with all of its power, MAN. The purpose of education today is man's welfare; the purpose of science is man's pleasure; the goal of entertainment is the good life for man. Hedonism says it all. The world is crowded with Antichrists presently. No, look not only on the horizon for Antichrist. Look about you. Oppose him today.
The manner of opposition
We do not oppose him with guns and tanks and bombs. We do not try to prevent his coming or overthrow it when it comes by political power plays. We oppose him in a spiritual manner, in the same way Jesus Christ opposed him during His ministry, and in the way Jesus taught His disciples to oppose him in theirs -- by faith and the powerful Word of the gospel. We oppose all that opposes Jesus Christ. We oppose humanism that exalts man and promotes the cause of man and man alone. This is why Reformed believers from the beginning have maintained that it is necessary for them to maintain good, Christian schools in which their children are educated. The world inculcates its young with humanistic values and humanistic goals, and we must have no part of that mis-education. We oppose humanism from the pulpits of our churches, and put out those ministers and elders who would preach and teach this kind of a gospel. In this way we oppose Antichrist today.
We oppose hierarchical church government. Hierarchy in the church (the rule by a few "holy ones," or by an intellectual elite, from the top down) is Antichristian in spirit and purpose. That is one main reason the Reformers were opposed to the pope. Audaciously, he set himself up as Vicar of Christ, head of the church, whose word no priest or bishop or counsel, much less layman, could question. We oppose Antichrist today by opposing hierarchy -- a lordship of man, a setting aside of the Word of God and the replacing of it with the word and will of man.
We oppose the ecumenical mania, rife today in the churches. There are powerful winds blowing -- hurricane force winds -- blowing across the churches to bring them together into one, large church body. Robert Schuller, world-acclaimed pastor of one of the largest Reformed churches in America, calls the church world: "It is time for Protestants to go to the Shepherd (pope) and say, What do we have to do to come home?" (Los Angeles Herald Examiner, September 19, 1987). The bottom line, the common denominator, that summons all together is the goal of a world in which man will have earthly peace and prosperity. It seems that the only "heresy" in the minds of most churchmen today is the questioning of the ecumenical movement. There is even a widespread notion abroad, showing itself also in Reformed circles, that all the pagan religions are legitimate, nothing other than the expression of the universal religious feelings of mankind that probably find their best expressions in Christianity. Witness the Protestant preachers praying with Muslims. The basis for that is Humanism. The church of Christ today opposes Antichrist by giving battle to those notions and ideas prevalent in the church today.
We oppose Antichrist by opposing all heresy in the church. Heresy, or false doctrine, is nothing less than opposition to Jesus Christ, Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. How often does not Jesus warn His disciples of those wolves in sheep's wool who will misrepresent the truth to draw men away from Jesus? But how much concern is there today for fighting heresy, exposing false doctrine for what it is -- Antichristian in spirit and purpose, paving the way for the man of sin himself who will deceive many?
Opposing heresy, we promote the truth. The people of God who have a heart for God's Christ and Christ's church take the offensive in this battle against Antichrist. Promote the gospel of Jesus Christ. Promote biblical church government. Promote the proper, presbyterian form of church government. Promote the proper manner of church union and reunion -- on the basis of the truth of the gospel of God.
Finally, we do battle with Antichrist in ourselves. For Antichrist has an ally in my own sinful nature. Here is humanism in its basic form -- in my own heart. Here is the false doctrine of salvation by the works of man, right here in my own proud breast. Here is hierarchy, the rule by a few --by me. Right here in my own heart I find sympathy with the notion that salvation comes by faith and by works. In myself is the lie in its crudest form -- "Ye shall be as God."
When the saint fights Antichrist in his heart, with his heart, God will give him the strength to oppose Antichrist when he is revealed in the last day, at the end of which he will be destroyed utterly and completely.
ANTICHRIST'S CERTAIN DESTRUCTION
Antichrist will succeed in deceiving many. By his earthly successes and charm, Antichrist will deceive millions. The ungodly world as well as many in the churches will fawn over him. Those who do not will not only be mocked, they will be killed.
And for that, the wicked will be damned. This is the teaching of II Thessalonians 2:10-12. Even their deception is a judgment of God upon them; when Antichrist comes, God will send a strong delusion that they should believe a lie. The reason for this is that they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. They heard the gospel, understood the truth, but rejected it. They will perish with the Antichrist.
But in the end, Antichrist will be destroyed. God's people will be saved by sovereign grace, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. And Antichrist will be destroyed.
The religious Antichristian empire will be destroyed by the political Antichristian empire. For a time he uses the whore; in the end he turns on her (Rev 17:16). The political empire breaks up into the battle of Armageddon: the kingdom of the beast (the Western, "Christianized" nations) against the kingdom of the east (the pagan, non-Christian nations). In the middle of that battle, Jesus Christ will return to destroy the Antichristian kingdom, consume Antichrist with the spirit of His mouth, destroy him with the brightness of His coming, and begin the judgment.
Jesus Christ reigns!
There will be no struggle by Jesus Christ with Antichrist. In moment of time, where the entire history of the world climaxes, Christ in an instant will destroy the man of sin.
Therefore, do not fear!
The truth of the Antichrist is dreadful. The church must suffer under him, too. But we are not to fear for a moment. And when you see the Antichrist in the future, be not in terror. For in that darkest hour the world has ever known, we will be doing the same as we have all our lives, waiting "with uplifted heads" for the coming of Jesus Christ, Who will redeem us from all distress.
According to W. E. Blackstone, in his book "Jesus Is Coming," the antichrist is "The culminating manifestation of Satan." (P. 107) He further mentions that, "He will enter into covenant with the Jews in Palestine and exalt himself above all that is called God. He is identified as the king mentioned in Daniel 11:36; as the second beast mentioned in Rev. 13; he is declared to be the Lucifer, which is described in Isa. 14; and as the Man of Sin in 2 Thess. Chapter 2. Many theologians regard him as another Antiochus Epiphanes who is mentioned in the Apocrypha. The early Christian church believed that Emperor Nero was the antichrist. During the Reformation, practically all leading Protestant theologians identified the Man of Sin with the popes of the Roman Catholic Church. This belief was so prevalent that it is included in the introduction to the King James Version of the Bible. In part, this reads a follows: ""When they observe that the zeal of Your Majesty toward the House of God doth not slack or go backward, but is more and more kindled, manifesting itself abroad in the farthest parts of Christendom, by writing in defense of truth, (which has given such a blow to THAT MAN OF SIN as will not be healed)"" In more modern times there has been a rash of prophetic preaching about so-called antichrists including Mussolini, Hitler, the black pope, and a continual parade of individuals whom some expositors seem to find some Biblical reason for calling antichrists. The only thing this confusion proves is that a great deal of speculation surrounds this subject. Since God is not the author of confusion, we have to brand most of these ideas as whims of human conjecture.
While we deplore the fact that so much controversy rages about the antichrist, we don't think this is sufficient reason to ignore the subject. It IS in the Bible. Therefore, it must have some significance for people who seek to profit from the instruction given in the Word. The Bible was written: to be understood by men and women of ordinary intelligence. God would not deliberately couch His message in subtle meanings or engage in devious, ambiguous descriptions that only and astute scholar could unravel or discover. Blackstone's attempt to identify the antichrist as king, devil, man of sin, Lucifer, and a host of other things, must be rejected on the grounds of being "private interpretation." There's not one shred of positive identification in John's epistles to support any of these claims. The Bible says, "No prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation." (2 Pet. 1:20)
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT ANTICHRIST…
The proper place to begin any explanation of the Bible, is to see first of all, what the Bible itself says on the subject. Actually the Bible has very little to say about antichrist. Only one writer mentions him, and his outline is so indefinite it is difficult to know whether he is talking about a person or a principle since he refers to antichrist both as "IT'' and as a spirit. The quotations revealing the antichrist are as follows: "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, and even now there are many antichrists; whereby ye know it is the last time." …"Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son." (1 John 2:18, 22) The next quotation is: "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is the "spirit" of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that "it" should come; and even now already is in the world." (1 John 4:3) The last reference is: "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist." (2 John 7) The importance of a teaching in the Bible is usually evaluated by the amount of space it's given in the Word. On this basis, one would say that the observation of the antichrist is relatively unimportant, since it is only mentioned by one writer very briefly. Notwithstanding this factor, let's examine just what the Bible does say about antichrist.
First, John tells us when to look for the antichrist and secondly, he tells us how to identify him. So far as the first part is concerned, there were many antichrists in the world when John wrote his epistle. The antichrist is a characteristic of the last times and was already prevalent in John's day. John lists four characteristics by which we can identify antichrist. He is a liar, a denier, a deceiver and a seducer. John does not identify him with the king in Daniel, nor the Man of Sin in Thessalonians, nor with the beast in Revelation (although John wrote that book), nor with any individual making a covenant with the Jews during any future tribulation period. Any attempt to identify the above creatures with the antichrist is purely speculative conjecture.
Let's carefully ponder what John wrote. First he said the chief characteristic of the antichrist is that of DENYING that JESUS IS THE CHRIST and of denying the Father and the Son. In saying this, John put his finger on the root of all religious error. Every error in the realm of Christendom is in some way related to the Person of Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Christ asked, "WHOM say ye that I am?" The battle of Jehovah's Witnesses, Modernism, Deism, Agnosticism and every other religious "ism" in the world stems from their appraisal of WHO Jesus Christ IS!
So far as the antichrist is concerned, those who deny that Jesus is the Messiah are branded as antichrist according to John. If they deny that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, they are demonstrating the antichrist spirit. If they propagate this teaching they are branded as seducers and deceivers. The reason is obvious. Christianity alone is founded on A PERSON. Christianity is not a philosophy or an ideology, or an abstraction to which we give mental assent. It is not that we believe what Jesus said that makes us Christian, it is when we believe WHO Jesus Christ IS, Son of God, Mediator, Deity, Incarnate God, Atoner and Judge. Then we are Christian, but any denial of this, John says is antichrist. John says that any teaching that denies all that Christ IS, is the work of deceivers. Anyone who persuades otherwise, is a seducer. All the characteristics of antichrist are negative. They negate Christ.
An illuminating comment on this passage is given in "The Pulpit Commentaries," page 39 of 1 John. "It would be inaccurate to fix the term "antichrist" solely on one individual or one system, even if our knowledge of this or that one were complete enough to enable us to identify it or him as one form of antichrist. For in the prophetic passages referred to, such forms are pointed out as manifold. And the apostle declares that manifold are the forms that are already seen; for says he, "Even now there are many antichrists. So we are forbidden by the terms of the passage to fasten any one form of heresy to the exclusion of others. Though prophecy and fact show many antichrists, there is one feature marking them all, namely, negation. "He is antichrist that denies the Father and the Son." Christ was not crucified because of what He taught but because of WHO He was. "We have a law, and by our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God." (John 19:7) Christ did not ask what men thought of His sermons, but "WHOM do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" (Matt. 16:13) Paul did not testify that he knew WHAT he believed, but rather, "I know WHOM I have believed" (2 Tim. 1:12a) Antichrist and the spirit of antichrist are expressly concerned with the denial of Christ coming in the flesh and of His being one with the father. Take away this fundamental pillar and Christianity immediately crumbles into another man-made philosophy. The person Christ is the jugular vein of faith and the very heart of Christianity.
THE MAN OF SIN
It is the teaching of Dispensationalism that the Man of Sin described in Second Thessalonians denotes the antichrist. Dispensational literature abounds giving dire forebodings of this fearsome creature, whose spectral shadow casts a pall of gloom and terror across the future. Where do preachers get the idea of this coming ogre, who is to plunge the world into such unparalleled suffering? The basis for this teaching is found in 2 Thess. 2:1-12. In order to get the complete description, we shall quote the entire passage:
"Now we beseech you brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or troubled, neither by spirit nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the Day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that DAY shall not come, except there come a falling away first and THAT MAN OF SIN BE REVEALED, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that when I was with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming; even him whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all the deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (End of quote)
The pertinent points of our study are: Who is the Man of Sin? When is he to be revealed? What restraining power prevents him from being revealed? What role does he play in the church and in history? And why was Paul so vague in some of the details connected with his appearing?
Millennialists are almost unanimous in identifying this Man of Sin as a personal antichrist. He is supposed to be the incarnation of Evil and the supreme antagonist of the Jews. He is to be revealed after what they call the Rapture, and will make his headquarters in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit, Whom the Dispensationalists term as "The Hinderer," is the restraining power, consequently the antichrist cannot be revealed until after the Rapture when the Holy Spirit is taken out of the world. His manifestation marks the beginning of Daniel's 70th week, according to their teaching. Eventually the antichrist will be confronted and defeated by Christ. The Scofield Reference Bible, Blackstone and other authorities in general, subscribe to this view although there is almost unlimited speculation on the details.
There are many basic fallacies in the Dispensational interpretation of this Scripture. First of all, Paul is addressing the brethren rather than the Jews. The brethren would not be affected since they are to be Raptured, and warning is intimated to the Jews who are supposed to be the victims of the antichrist. In v. 7, Paul said the mystery of iniquity doth ALREADY WORK. This statement cannot fit in with something that is to start after the Rapture. After Paul warned the brethren about the man of Sin he exhorted them to STAND FAST and hold the traditions they had been taught. V.15. This would be nonsensical advice if, it wasn't meant, to be heeded for two thousand years. The Man of Sin in Thessalonians is one who "opposes" God. The antichrist of John is one who "denies" that Jesus is come in the flesh. These are but a few of the Scriptural observations that are patent on the surface.
There are, of course, more fundamental reasons for rejecting the Dispensational interpretation. Most objectionable is their contention that the Holy Spirit is the "Hinderer" who is to be taken away prior to the revelation of the Man of Sin. Never does the Bible refer to the Holy Sprit in these terms. Paul told of his intention to travel to Thessalonica, "BUT SATAN HINDERED." (1 Thess. 2:18) Christ spoke of lawyers who hindered people from entering the Kingdom of God. (Luke 12:52) Paul didn't want the believer's prayers hindered by their misconduct or grieving the Holy Spirit. He didn't want to hinder the gospel by his own misadventures. But never did Paul suggest that the Holy Spirit was the "Hinderer" as suggested by Dispensationalists.
There are other valid reasons for rejecting the Dispensational conjecture. Paul always spoke freely about the Holy Spirit. There was no reason for him to be devious or secretive about Him. There was no law in the Roman Empire to prohibit discussion of the Holy Spirit, so Paul would not hesitate to be frank about Him. With the Roman government it was different. It was worth his life to incur the wrath of the Emperor. The edicts of the Emperor were binding on the entire ancient world and that is why the early Christians spoke in symbols about the government. They understood clearly what was meant. Paul said "AND NOW YE KNOW what withholdest." This would not be true if it referred to something 2,000 years in the future and to an event they had never heard about. Millennialism only speculates that the Man of Sin is the antichrist. Paul wrote of something of which he could say, "And now ye know…" Paul was warning them of an immediate menace to their lives and faith and exhorting them to STAND FAST. There was no menace or exhortation applicable to them if it was not to happen for 2,000 years. Paul was warning them about a falling away, which could result in a delusion and damnation that they might not be SAVED. (2 Thess. 2:10) Not one iota of evidence can be attached to a future antichrist or a Rapture. Any suggestion is purely an invention of the mind without any Scripture support whatever.
We are not definitely told what or who the Man of Sin was. It does not have to be an individual. Paul said, "Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain ONE NEW MAN, so making peace." (Eph. 2:15) "Man" in this place refers to all men included in the new relationship with Christ through faith. Likewise, the "man of Sin" could be representative of an entire order or organization characterized by elements opposed to God and to His church. When the Roman government fell and the Emperor moved to Constantinople, it gave way to the rise of the Papacy with its Hierarchy and priesthood. Many people interpret the Papal power as the Man of Sin, especially from the time of the Reformation on, but it must be conceded that it is based on similarities and correspondences rather then on actual Scripture. Where the Bible is silent it ill behooves us to fill the vacancy with our assumptions or conjectures. Above all, we dare not ascribe certainty where God has decreed mystery and silence. Dispensationalists are guilty of committing many misinterpretations in regard to the antichrist. For instance in 2 Thess. 1:1, 2, Paul speaks of the Day of Christ. Commenting on this, Ironside says, "The Day of Christ ALWAYS refers to the time when the saints will be gathered around the Lord Jesus Christ in the air"the Day of the Lord is the time of judgment"" (The Great Parenthesis. P. 114) Now in verse 1, Paul says, "Now we beseech you brethren by the COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST." Paul did not say anything about a Rapture in the "air" but he very plainly told of Christ's COMING. No expositor in any standard Commentary interprets this to be anything except Christ's Second Coming. Paul further spoke of THAT DAY, which does not refer to a Rapture, but to its antecedent, which is the Coming of Christ.
THE KING DESCRIBED BY DANIEL
Let's now focus our attention on the Dispensational claim that the king mentioned by Daniel is also the antichrist. W. E. Blackstone says, "DOUBTLESS he is the king described in Dan. 11:36." P. 109 (Jesus Is Coming). H. A. Ironside says, "DOUBTLESS he will take his place in the temple to be rebuilt in Jerusalem." Further Ironside says, he is, Quote: "Unquestionably, AT LEAST TO MY MIND (no Scripture, just to this man's mind) identical with the second beast of Rev. 13." Further Ironside says, "When the Holy Spirit, THE HINDERER goes up with the church at the Rapture" (The Great Parenthesis pp. 116- 119) One more quote will suffice. It reads, "The seventieth week will begin with the signing of a covenant with the head of the ten-kingdom empire YET TO ARISE, and someone, EVIDENTLY the antichrist representing Israel." (The Great Parenthesis, p. 111)
We would like to call attention to the great vacuum of Scriptural support and the repetition of supposition in using such words as "doubtless," "evidently," "Unquestionably," and "at least to the author's mind." This is characteristic of Dispensational literature. One book by a leading authority contains pages strewn with "It is evident," "will obviously," "will apparently," "as intimated," "it seems clear," "it seems that," "if," "it seems to be," "probably" and "it may be regarded." These quotations are copied from two or three pages of the book called ISRAEL IN PROPHECY, and they indicate the slender Scriptural support for their premise when so much depends on guessing. For this reason, if for no other, we must reject the Dispensational conclusions. A doctrine based on so much uncertainty could turn out to be a rupture instead of a Rapture. However, we don't have to reject Dispensationalism for their lack of Scripture. All we have to do is to quote what the Scriptures say about their speculation. What does Daniel say? The passage reads as follows: "And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper until the indignation be accomplished neither shall he regard any god" Dan. 11:36, 37. Dispensationalists identify this king as the antichrist despite the fact that the sentence in which he is introduced begins with the conjunction "and" and the antichrist is not introduced in the Bible for more than another 600 years. To dogmatically assert or assume that this king is the antichrist ignores many principles of both grammar and history. Attention has already been called to the tremendous amount of surmises and postulations employed by their most-revered writers, and the absence of facts or Scriptures to support their claims. Their unfortunate recourse to the Talmud and to Jewish fables further weakens their case. In contrast with their theoretical hypothesis, let's now compare what the Bible actually does say to throw light on this king who is under scrutiny.
First of all, Daniel was narrating the prophetic history of Israel down to the coming of Christ. The king, it is true is not named, but Israel only had one king during this period. His name was Herod. Now note the following comparisons between what Daniel said and what Matthew says. Daniel said "He would not regard the God of his fathers." Herod was an Idumean, and thus was a subject of Jewry. During his reign he was elevated to the position of king because of his services to Rome. The Jews particularly resented this on the grounds that he was usurping David's throne. Herod did not embrace the Jewish religion although he did build the Jewish temple, which was one of the wonders of the ancient world, a marvel of architecture far exceeding Solomon's temple.
Daniel said that "The king would not regard the desire of women." The desire of Hebrew women was to become the mother of the Messiah. Just as every American woman hopes her son may one day become president, so every Jewish woman hoped to be the mother of the Messiah. Herod is the king who decreed the massacre of all the babes two years and under throughout a wide region in his effort to destroy the newborn Christ -- the Desire of Women. Daniel said he would prosper until the "Indignation." There were four Herods who ruled as kings. Paul had his hearing before one of them, namely Herod Agrippa in Acts 26. Paul addressed him as king throughout his entire defense. They spanned the historical period from before the birth of Christ until the fall of Jerusalem known as the Dispersion in history and which is called the Great Tribulation in the Bible. The family of Herod prospered until this "indignation" was accomplished, that is, the utter disintegration of the Jewish nation.
Concerning this first Herod, who was the only ruler of the Jews to assume the title of King during the entire period of Daniel's prophecy, the Bible further says, "But tidings out of the East and out of the north shall TROUBLE him; therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away with many." (Dan. 11:44) Just compare this with Matthew's record, "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the days of HEROD THE KING, behold, there came wise men FROM THE EAST to Jerusalem…when HEROD THE KING had heard these things, HE WAS TROUBLED, and all Jerusalem with him…Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth and SLEW ALL THE CHILDREN that were in Bethlehem and…" (Matt. 2:1, 3, 16) The similarity between the king mentioned in Daniel's prophecy and in Matthew's historical account, correspond too accurately to be accidental. Only history can corroborate prophecy. Most emphatically Matthew's account has the ring of certainty far more than the gross assumptions and suppositions of Dispensationalism.
THE COVENANT MENTIONED BY DANIEL…
In Daniel 9:27, we read, "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease…" The entire Dispensational doctrine swings on this one hinge, namely Daniel's Seventieth Week. In order to establish the postponement of Daniel's Seventieth Week, which is essential to their entire system of interpretation, Dispensationalists make some of the most astonishing suggestions of Divine error to be found in the religious world. Here is what one writer says, quote: "Christians living today, however, find themselves in an age which DANIEL DID NOT ANTICIPATE except PERHAPS BY IMPLICATION…This period (namely the present church age of nearly 2,000 years) was not described by Daniel, and is UNCHARTED AS FAR AS THE OLD TESTAMENT IS CONCERNED. Many students of the Scriptures have come to the conclusion that God in this present age is carrying out a program not revealed to Daniel" (The Return of the Lord, p. 135, by John Walvoord.)
The reason Dispensationalists postpone Daniel's Seventieth Week until the future and brand the entire Church Age as a parenthesis during which time God's clock stopped, is not because a Covenant was not ratified during the Seventieth Week. That was the period during which Christ died and brought the New and Everlasting Covenant into effect. But because this Covenant does not accord with Dispensational interpretation of prophecy they reject it and claim that the covenant referred to, is one between apostate Jews and (bogey-man) antichrist after this "HIDDEN" interval, which they call the Church Age. As if a "hidden interval" could exist!
Just in case any reader thinks the above fantastic assertion may be abusive, I quote a leading authority on Dispensationalism as follows : "Strange is it that many have supposed it was the Prince Messiah Himself Who was to confirm a covenant for one week. But when did He ever make SUCH a covenant? The blood OF THE COVENANT which he shed upon the cross is not to confirm a covenant for seven years, but is THE BLOOD OF THE EVERLASTING COVENANT." (The Great Parenthesis, p. 25). So a leading Dispensationalist admits the Everlasting Covenant was ratified during the Seventieth Week of Daniel in fulfillment of God's determinate will and foreknowledge, but he denies that this is the covenant Daniel prophesied. He charges that Daniel failed to see this age. He attributes total concealment of the present age, so far as the Old Testament prophets were concerned, despite the fact that "all prophecy is given by inspiration of God." (2 Tim. 3:16) this is a very serious indictment of men who "spake as they were moved of the Holy Ghost." (2 Pet. 1:21)
We scathingly reject this dalliance with God's Word and brand it as pure sophistry. God's Word is not to be trifled with, and when God says "Seventy Weeks are determined," it must be fulfilled according to the plain meaning of what is declared or it's not true. The Bible says, "Let God be true and every man a liar." (Rom. 3:4) God does not adjust His Word to suit our interpretation. "To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isa. 8:20) If the Lord Jesus Christ ratified the Everlasting Covenant during the Seventieth Week of Daniel's prophecy and the Dispensationalists disclaim it and substitute a Covenant with antichrist, in order to make a political kingdom for the Jews, the issue---who are you supposed to believe---God or the Dispensationalists? Romans 4:3, removes all doubt!
What then, is the Covenant that Daniel proclaimed with such assurance? If we do our counting in sequence, this is what we read. "Seventy weeks are determined." That is an unqualified assertion. Counting: "Know therefore, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks." (That is sixty-nine weeks.)
Let's go back now and check our count. The sixty-nine weeks bring us to Messiah, the Prince. This is unto the baptism of Jesus, when He was anointed for His earthly mission. Isaiah prophesied of Jesus as the Prince of Peace. Peter hailed Him as "The Prince of life." (Acts 3:15) Daniel called Him Messiah, the Prince. Next Daniel said, "After the three score and two weeks (he had previously listed the seven weeks) the Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself." That's to say, after the sixty-ninth week, which is during the seventieth week, the Messiah shall be cut off. The marginal reading at this point in the King James Version says, "And the Jews shall be no more His people." Another rendering in the same margin reads: "The Jews shall no more be the Prince's (Messiah's) people." One thing, is certain, Daniel was not a Dispensationalist!
We will now consider the 27th verse, which is the keystone to the entire passage. This reads as follows: "And He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week; and in the midst of the week He shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease " One Bible translation renders this verse thus: "High covenant He shall make, before another week is done, and with folks a many, but when the week has run half its course, offering and burnt offering shall be none…" (Knox) The main point to observe here is, that the covenant was not to be made for the duration of one week and then repudiated in the midst of the week, but rather it was ratified during the seventieth week. The covenant itself is everlasting, but it was brought into effect during the seventieth week.
As pointed out previously, dispensationalists insist that the "he" who makes the covenant is the antichrist, but antichrist is no even introduced in the Bible for at least 600 years after Daniel's prophecy was uttered. From a grammatical standpoint, a pronoun always refers to its antecedent. If we do this, and it is absolutely correct that we should, the passage would read thus: "…Unto Messiah, the PRINCE SHALL BE SEVEN WEEKS, AND THREESCORE AND TWO WEEKS: AND He (that is, Messiah) shall confirm the covenant with may for one week." Let's see if this interpretation will stand the scrutiny of agreement with what the Bible says elsewhere. Obviously, Matthew was a very avid student of Daniel's prophecy for he quoted Daniel in a number of places. In Matthew 26 we have the account of the Last supper. During this sacred episode we read: "And He took the cup and gave thanks, and gave it unto them saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of THE NEW TESTAMENT (covenant) which is shed for MANY for the remission of sins. Daniel said, "He shall confirm the covenant with many," while Jesus said, "This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many." The time? In the MIDST (NOTE: not necessarily in the exact middle) of the seventieth week. God keeps His appointments right on time and no man can stop His clock! It is impudent arrogance to presume to suggest that God's timing could be wrong. It is utter folly and presumption to suppose that a handful of unbelieving Jews could stop HIS clock. This was not Paul's concept of the dignity of the Almighty when he wrote, "O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and the KNOWLEDGE of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out.
For who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been His counselor?" (Rom. 11:33, 34) It's baffling beyond comprehension, to understand how anyone claiming to be Fundamental, could have the audacity to state in writing "That Daniel did not anticipate (the age of grace) except PERHAPS BY IMPLICATION." (The Return of the Lord, p. 135). Such a suggestion is preposterous beyond words.
Daniel prophesied: "Seventy Weeks are determined." Christ died in the midst of the seventieth week. When he died on Calvary's cross, an unseen Hand reached down and miraculously rent the veil of the temple from top to bottom. At that moment, the sacrifice and oblation ceased, to have any further efficacious value, for the way to reconciliation with God was opened by a New Mediator. The New and Everlasting Covenant came into effect and was then ratified by the Son of God to all His heirs. There's not even a vestige in the 9th chapter of Daniel to suggest an antichrist, other than the vagaries of conjectures that are required to substantiate a mistaken premise. John tells us who the antichrist is. He tells us when he came and he told us how to recognize his operations. He tells us that his method of seeking to defeat God's plan, is negative. Antichrist denies the keystone of Christian faith, in the Deity of Jesus Christ as Lord. On this sacred fulcrum of the Person of Christ, the whole structure of Christianity teeters, and every error in Christendom in some way has its origin related to a wrong view of WHO Christ really is.
THE SECOND BEAST IN REVELATION 13…
In addition to the Man of Sin in 2nd Thessalonians and the King mentioned by Daniel, Dispensationalists maintain that the second beast mentioned in Revelation 13 is also the antichrist. We will repeat our practice of quoting the passage of Scripture in which the reference is found. It reads as follows: "And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake like a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him and he doeth great wonders and he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by means of those miracles which he had the power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast…and he had power to give life to the image of the beast…and he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand or in their forehead: and that no man might buy or sell save he that had the mark of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is Wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred three score and six." (Rev 13: main parts of verses 11-18).
When anyone makes a definite assertion about the Bible, we have a right to enquire upon what authority the assertion is made. The apostle John is the only writer in the Bible who mentions and defines the antichrist. John also wrote the book of Revelation. Dispensationalists dogmatically assure us that the second beast in Revelation 13 describes the antichrist. Let's examine the evidence. John was well acquainted with the book of Daniel, but he makes no reference to it in Revelation 13. Nor does John make any reference to the so-called postponement of Daniel's seventieth week in Revelation 13. He makes no reference to the Jews whatsoever. He does not mention a covenant with the Jews, which Dispensationalists ascribe to the antichrist. He makes no reference to the Rapture and no reference to a slaughter, the antichrist is supposed to precipitate. Since John gave us our introduction to the antichrist, it seems incredible that not a single statement in Revelation 13, alludes in some tangible way, to the antichrist he previously mentioned. There is no reference in 1 John to the antichrist performing miracles. In Rev. 13:14 we are told that the beast "deceiveth them that dwell on the earth." This deceiving is done in "the sight of the beast," and the penalty for not worshiping the image of the beast is death. None of these characteristics are related in any way with the antichrist described by John in his epistles, where his identity is established by the fact that he denies that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.
A further difference between the beast and the antichrist is that the beast requires his mark or number on all peoples, the number being 666. John does not apply this characteristic to the antichrist. No one would be more capable of providing this information than John, but he is totally silent about any connection between the second beast and the antichrist. To give an adequate exposition of the dragon, the beast and the second beast is beyond the scope of this short treatise, but one thing is certain, and that is, that any identification of this beast with the antichrist is pure conjecture. This applies to the ingenious schemes used to find a combination of Latin or Greek letters with numeral significance adding up to a total of 666. This beast is described as having two horns like a lamb and who speaks like a dragon. Since a lamb does not have horns, we conclude that the purpose of this creature is to disarm and deceive. Its main characteristic is in speaking like a dragon. It is recognized by what it SAYS. The antichrist is recognized by WHOM he DENIES. Only a preconceived idea could attribute this beast to be identified with the antichrist because the Scriptures describe them in contrasts rather than similarities. WHAT ABOUT LUCIFER?
In Blackstone's book called "Jesus Is Coming," he says that the antichrist is both Lucifer and the devil, no doubt meaning the devil incarnate. Evidence points to the fact that the devil has never been short of individuals through whom to operate. One example is: "Then entered Satan into Judas Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve." (Luke 33:3) Of Mary Magdalene, it's said, "Out of whom were cast seven devils." Many individuals in history could qualify for this characteristic, if devilishness were a clue to identity. There would be nothing unique in this trait whereby anyone could claim a monopoly on it, as Antichrist.
In Isaiah 14:12 the Bible says, "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!" It's a never-ceasing source of amazement, how the Dispensationalists find so many evidences of the antichrist, when the Bible has so few. There's only one writer, and that one, among the last in the Scripture canon. Isaiah describes Lucifer as a being who fell from heaven! This is far removed from what John wrote, when he said there were many antichrists in his day. Did they ALL fall from heaven? Isaiah said Lucifer aspired to BE "LIKE" THE MOST HIGH. (v. 14) John said the antichrist DENIED the Most High, as well as His Son. Any attempt to identify Lucifer with antichrist is pure fiction. It's only a vagrant opinion having no means of Scriptural support. Dispensationalists surround the antichrist with unlimited personalities and mystery, but when compared with the Holy Scriptures, the mystery dissolves into a "Myth-story."
In concluding our treatment of this subject, we reiterate that all the Bible says about the antichrist, is what the apostle John mentioned in his four references. Anything beyond this is pure human speculation. That's the reason why Dispensational books are studded with phrases such as, "It seems, it appears, obviously, doubtless, if, it may well be, it seems clear," and other evidences of conjecture and speculation. Peter said, "We have a MORE SURE WORD of prophecy; whereunto ye do well to take heed, as unto a light that SHINETH in a dark place." (2 Pet. 1:19) God did not leave us to grope through dimly-lit human probabilities. He meant for us to grasp prophetic certainties, heed them, trust them and shine as spiritual beacons in a dark sin-benighted world. Jesus said, "FOLLOW ME." Paul said, "And though I…understand ALL MYSTERIES and have not love, I am nothing." (1 Cor. 13:2) In the last analysis, it's not what we know, but how we obey that counts. God rewards us for the depth of our obedience rather than the extent of our knowledge.
John tells us exactly and unmistakably how to recognize those who are antichrist. It's those who confess NOT that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. THIS is...AN ANTICHRIST." (2 John 7) John was well acquainted with the book of Daniel, but not being a Dispensationalist, he makes no reference to it. In any event, the king mentioned in Daniel 11:36 does not qualify for antichrist for he does NOT DENY that Jesus came in the flesh. In fact he was not born for several hundred years after Daniel wrote his prophecy.
Likewise John makes no reference to the Man of Sin whom Paul describes in 2 Thessalonians, although it's safe to say that he was well acquainted with this early epistle of Paul's. Why do Dispensationalists invent so many antichrists, past, present and future, and why do they ascribe all manner of characteristics and actions as well as mysteries to them, when John makes it so clear that antichrist could be lurking near our own doorstep? The import of John's message is to warn people not to deny that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, as many are assuredly doing. Dispensationalists still maintain that the Old Testament prophecies of the Kingdom, are Jewish, political, earthly, and necessarily future. They assure us that this concept of the Kingdom was outlined in the Talmud and fully-embraced by the Jews of Christ's time (The Millennial Kingdom, by John Walvoord, pp. 114, 115.) While we concede that the above statement is correct, we would point out that this is the very source of traditional interpretation of prophecy that Christ said, "Made the Word of God of none effect." Mark 7:13.
Dispensationalists contend that this earthly Kingdom will yet come into existence when Christ returns to earth. They explain to their adherents that God has re-routed this Kingdom train over the "Hidden Interval" Expressway. (The Great Parenthesis, Ironside pp. 36-67) Passengers are told to check their earthly kingdom baggage, which travels The Great Parenthesis scenic route, and claim it after the train arrives at the Union Millennial Depot in Jerusalem. All baggage is labeled "Perishable." If the passengers had looked at their bill of lading carefully, they would have observed that all O.T. baggage unclaimed, upon arrival at Calvary, was thereafter, labeled "dung," because it deteriorated so quickly. (Phil. 3:4-11)
Unfortunately for the Dispensationalists, by their own admission, their train is already NINETEEN HUNDRED YEARS LATE. Adding to their embarrassment, is their admission that the train crew was mainly composed of members of the disfranchised Talmudic Union who were running on an obsolete O.T. schedule. The engineer failed to observe an open switch at Golgotha and the train ran violently onto a siding where it has been ever since. When the train stopped, due to loss of power, the Dispensationalists thought God's clock stopped. They didn't notice that Calvary was the end of the line for all the Old Testament and that all Kingdom-bound passengers were transferred to the New Testament Kingdom Express. This "super-deluxe train," is pulled by a high-powered locomotive, (originating at Pentecost) over the New Testament Faith Line. It's under new management, and operates on new rules, instituted by the Messiah.
One of the rules is: there's no earthly baggage permitted: to be checked. Anyone who tries to smuggle discarded Old Testament theological refuse into God's Kingdom, will find it difficult to pass God's Custom House, for their ruling is: "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to my Word, it is because there is no light in them." (Isa. 8:20) This contraband Old Testament baggage, carries a stiff penalty for anyone trying to "bootleg it" into the New Testament Kingdom and offer it on the "black market" as genuine gospel. (See Gal. 1-4)
God's Kingdom Special is operating right on time, according to God's clock, as one would expect of Omniscience. Incidentally, the train is not bound for Jerusalem, but for heaven; not for the Millennial Union Depot, but for Glory. There's no chance of the antichrist sabotaging the train or starting a massacre, just after its arrival, for his destination is in the opposite direction. Our eternal destiny is in safe-keeping, for: "I know WHOM I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which is committed unto HIM." (2 Tim. 1:12) No one will be confused about when the train arrives, for it won't be a little earthly Jerusalem whistle stop, but we'll know by the sound of the LAST TRUMP!
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