Exactly how to understand the Antichrist is extremely difficult to interpret, but the Bible gives us some clues. A common interpretation is that in the end times, the Antichrist will emerge as the sole ruler over all the nations of the world. The Antichrist will try to force everyone into an economic system and will lead the world into a difficult time of war, famine, death, persecution and natural disasters. The Antichrist will imitate God in various ways and thus deceive many, for example by forming an unholy trinity consisting of Satan, the Antichrist and the false prophet. The Antichrist will eventually be mortally wounded halfway through his reign, but will be miraculously healed by Satan, which will lead to the world being so enchanted by the Antichrist that they will begin to worship him as a god. Because of this, the Antichrist begins to openly blaspheme God, persecute Christians, and sit in the temple of God and claim to be God. This “abomination of desolation” will usher in the last difficult years of the end times. The “abomination of desolation” is an expression from the book of Daniel that originally refers to when the Syrian-Greek king Antiochus Epiphanes in 167 BC sacrificed a pig to the Greek god Zeus on an altar in the temple of Jerusalem. This event led to a Jewish rebellion that ended with the Jews reclaiming their land and cleansing the temple (this is still celebrated today as Hanukkah). The Antichrist will eventually be defeated by Jesus himself and thrown alive into the lake of fire.
Bible Verses
“1And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. 2And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. 3One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. 4And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?” 5And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, 8and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. 9If anyone has an ear, let him hear: 10If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.” (Re 13:1–10)
“3Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.” (2 Th 2:3–4)
“16Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” (1 Co 3:16–17)
“18Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.” (1 Jn 2:18)
“22Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.” (1 Jn 2:22)
“3and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.” (1 Jn 4:3)
“7For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.” (2 Jn 7)
“8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.” (2 Th 2:8)
Study Questions
- What does the word “antichrist” mean?
- What is the difference between an “antichrist” and the “Antichrist”?
- Are we approaching a global world government?
- Is the “temple” the church or a newly built temple in Jerusalem?
- How will the Antichrist deceive the whole world?
- Do we Christians need to be afraid of the Antichrist?
Additional Bible Verses
Rev 13:16-18, Rev 19:11-21, Matt 24:15-31, 2 Thess 2:1-12, Dan 7-8, Dan 11-12