Revelation 13 - The AntiChrist - Bible Study by Steve Wilson

Opening the First Seal – Rise of the AntiChrist

The AntiChrist is one of the most spoken-of topics in Scripture. Compare the following passages to gain a clear characterization.

 

Revelation 6:1-2 - I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” ² I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

The AntiChrist will be:

·        “given a crown” – the source of power comes from someone else

·        “a conqueror bent on conquest” – a military leader who intends to take more land

 

Daniel 8:9-14, 23-25 - Out of one of them [a kingdom] came another horn [kingdom], which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land. ¹⁰ It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them. ¹¹ It set itself up to be as great as the commander of the army of the Lord; it took away the daily sacrifice from the Lord, and his sanctuary was thrown down. ¹² Because of rebellion, the Lord’s people and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground.

¹³ Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, “How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled—the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, the surrender of the sanctuary and the trampling underfoot of the Lord’s people?”

¹⁴ He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated…”

²³“In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise. ²⁴ He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people. ²⁵ He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.

The AntiChrist will:

·        Be based in the northwest so that his kingdom can extend southward, eastward, and toward Israel (the Beautiful Land)

·        Set himself up to be Jesus’ equal (the commander of the armies of the Lord; see Joshua 5:13-15)

·        Be deceitful

·        Conquer Israel at a time when Israel is performing sacrifices in the sanctuary (Temple)

·        Succeed not by his own power

·        Be destroyed by Divine power

 

Daniel 9:27 - He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.

The AntiChrist will:

·        Make some kind of treaty or alliance for 7 years

·        After 3.5 years of this alliance, enter the Temple and set up the “abomination that causes desolation”

 

Daniel 11:21-45 - “He [the king of the north] will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue. ²² Then an overwhelming army will be swept away before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed. ²³ After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully, and with only a few people he will rise to power. ²⁴ When the richest provinces feel secure, he will invade them and will achieve what neither his fathers nor his forefathers did. He will distribute plunder, loot and wealth among his followers. He will plot the overthrow of fortresses—but only for a time.

²⁵ “With a large army he will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South [Egypt]. The king of the South will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to stand because of the plots devised against him. ²⁶ Those who eat from the king’s provisions will try to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall in battle. ²⁷ The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time. ²⁸ The king of the North will return to his own country with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action against it and then return to his own country.

²⁹ “At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from what it was before. ³⁰ Ships of the western coastlands will oppose him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and vent his fury against the holy covenant. He will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant.

³¹ “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. ³² With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.

³³ “Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. ³⁴ When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. ³⁵ Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

³⁶ “The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. ³⁷ He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all. ³⁸ Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his ancestors he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. ³⁹ He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price.

⁴⁰ “At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood. ⁴¹ He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. ⁴² He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. ⁴³ He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Cushites in submission. ⁴⁴ But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. ⁴⁵ He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

The AntiChrist will:

·        Not be royalty

·        Take over the “kingdom of the north” through intrigue

·        Defeat an army that includes a Jewish ruler (a prince of the covenant)

·        Be deceitful

·        Make an alliance with a few people

·        Fight against and eventually conquer Egypt

·        Vent his fury against Israel and set up the “abomination that causes desolation” in the Temple

·        Serve a god that stands for military power

 

Matthew 24:1-5 - Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. ² “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

³ As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

⁴ Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁵ For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.”

The AntiChrist will:

·        Be a false Messiah

 

Revelation 13 - The Beast out of the Sea - The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. ² The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. ³ One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. ⁴ People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?”

⁵ The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. ⁶ It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. ⁷ It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. ⁸ All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.

⁹ Whoever has ears, let them hear.

¹⁰ “If anyone is to go into captivity,
    into captivity they will go.
If anyone is to be killed with the sword,
    with the sword they will be killed.”

This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.

The AntiChrist will:

·        Lead an Empire composed of 10 kings (horns with crowns) – an alliance of few

·        Receive his power from the dragon (Satan) – succeeds not by his own power

·        Have one of the seven “heads” recover from a fatal wound from a sword (see v. 14)

·        Blaspheme God

·        Rule for 3.5 years

·        Wage war against Israel

·        Have authority over the entire world

·        Put people into captivity; put people to death – “This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people”!

 

Revelation 13 - The Beast out of the Earth - ¹¹ Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. ¹² It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. ¹³ And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. ¹⁴ Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. ¹⁵ The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. ¹⁶ It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, ¹⁷ so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.

¹⁸ This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.

The False Prophet will:

·        Look like a lamb (Jesus) but be more like a dragon (Satan)

·        Enforce the AntiChrist’s/Empire’s agenda

·        Perform miraculous signs

·        Set up an “image” of the AntiChrist/Empire

·        Enact economic sanctions for those who do not receive the mark of the AntiChrist/Empire

 

Revelation 17:8-14 – “The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss [Death] and go to its destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.

⁹ “This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. ¹⁰ They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. ¹¹ The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.

¹² “The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. ¹³ They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. ¹⁴ They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”

The AntiChrist/Empire will:

·        Be based on seven previous kingdoms

·        Be composed of a ten-king alliance

·        Fight against but be defeated by Jesus

 

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 - Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, ² not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. ³ Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. ⁴ He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

⁵ Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? ⁶ And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. ⁷ For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. ⁹ The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, ¹⁰ and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. ¹¹ For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie ¹² and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

The AntiChrist will:

·        Be a man of lawlessness – rejects the Law of God, not a Jew

·        Enters God’s Temple and proclaims himself to be God – the false Messiah

·        Is held back until Satan is taken out of the way (Revelation 12 tells of how Satan will be cast out of Heaven and therefore unable to interfere in God’s plans any longer)

Note: No others are “taken out of the way” besides God’s enemies. He wouldn’t describe the Spirit or the Church as being “taken out of the way.” The only ones who get in God’s way and need to be removed are His enemies.

·        Performs signs to deceive people

 

Daniel 12 - “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. ² Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. ³ Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. ⁴ But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.”

⁵ Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. ⁶ One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?”

⁷ The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, “It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.”

⁸ I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?”

⁹ He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end. ¹⁰ Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.

¹¹ “From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. ¹² Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.

¹³ “As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.”

The AntiChrist will:

·        Rule for 3.5 years (1,290 days, time and times and half a time) from the time he sets up the abomination that causes desolation in the Temple to the time when Jesus returns to defeat him

At the end of 1,335 days (a little over 3.5 years), everything will be complete

 

1 Timothy 4:1-3 - The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. ² Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. ³ They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.

The AntiChrist/Empire will:

·        Present teaching of demons

·        Forbid marriage

·        Forbid certain foods

 

It seems that the AntiChrist and his Empire matches the Islamic agenda. The following summaries and comparisons are taken from Joel Richardson’s books, The Islamic Antichrist, Mideast Beast, and Mystery Babylon.

 

The Mahdi – the Muslim Messiah – the AntiChrist

1. The Mahdi is Islam’s primary messiah figure.

2. He will be a descendant of Muhammad and will bear Muhammad’s name (Muhammad bin Abdullah).

3. He will be a very devout Muslim.

4. He will be an unparalleled spiritual, political, and military world leader.

5. He will emerge after a period of great turmoil and suffering upon the earth.

6. He will establish justice and righteousness throughout the world and eradicate tyranny and oppression.

7. He will be the caliph and imam (vice regent and leader) of Muslims worldwide.

8. He will lead a world revolution and establish a new world order.

9. He will lead military action against all those who oppose him.

10. He will invade many countries.

11. He will make a seven-year peace treaty with a Jew of priestly lineage.

12. He will conquer Israel for Islam and lead the “faithful Muslims” in a final slaughter/battle against Jews.

13. He will establish the new Islamic world headquarters from Jerusalem.

14. He will rule for seven years (possibly as much as eight or nine).

15. He will cause Islam to be the only religion practiced on the earth.

16. He will appear riding a white horse (possibly symbolic).

17. He will discover some previously undiscovered biblical manuscripts that he will use to argue with the Jews and cause some Jews to convert to Islam.

18. He will also rediscover the Ark of the Covenant from the Sea of Galilee, which he will bring to Jerusalem.

19. He will have supernatural power from Allah over the wind and the rain and crops.

20. He will possess and distribute enormous amounts of wealth.

21. He will be loved by all the people of the earth.

 

The Muslim Jesus – The False Prophet

1. Jesus is said to return to the earth in the last days near a mosque in Damascus.

2. He will arrive at a time when the Mahdi and his army will be preparing to pray.

3. The Mahdi will ask Jesus to lead the prayer, but Jesus will decline in direct deference to the Mahdi, whom Jesus declares to be the leader of the Muslims. He will then pray behind the Mahdi as a subordinate.

4. He will be a faithful Muslim.

5. He will make a pilgrimage to Mecca.

6. He will visit Muhammad’s grave and salute Muhammad, whereby Muhammad will return the salute from the grave.

7. He will destroy Christianity.

8. He will repeal the jizyah tax, thus leaving Jews and Christians with the only options of conversion to Islam or death. [The tax is for Jews and Christians to pay – no tax, no other religions allowed]

9. He will establish Islamic shariah law throughout the entire earth.

10. He will kill the Antichrist and his followers, made up largely of Jews and women. [The Islamic version of the Antichrist is the Christ. When Jesus comes again, Islamic leaders will paint Him as the “Antichrist” to the actual AntiChrist. Make sense?]

11. He will remain on the earth for roughly forty years, during which time he will marry, have children, and then die.

 

Comparing the Bible to Islamic Beliefs

• BIBLE: The Antichrist is an unparalleled political, military, and religious leader that will emerge in the last days.

• ISLAM: The Mahdi is an unparalleled political, military, and religious leader that will emerge in the last days.

 

• BIBLE: The False Prophet is a secondary prominent figure that will emerge in the last days who will support the Antichrist.

• ISLAM: The Muslim Jesus is a secondary prominent figure that will emerge in the last days to support the Mahdi.

 

• BIBLE: The Antichrist and the False Prophet together will have a powerful army that will do great damage to the earth in an effort to subdue every nation and dominate the world.

• ISLAM: The Mahdi and the Muslim Jesus will have a powerful army that will attempt to control every nation of the earth and dominate the world.

 

• BIBLE: The False Prophet is described essentially as a dragon in lamb’s clothing.

• ISLAM: The Muslim Jesus comes bearing the name of the one that the world knows as “the Lamb of God,” Jesus Christ. Yet the Muslim Jesus comes to murder all those who do not submit to Islam.

 

• BIBLE: The Antichrist and the False Prophet establish a new world order.

• ISLAM: The Mahdi and the Muslim Jesus establish a new world order.

 

• BIBLE: The Antichrist and the False Prophet institute new laws for the whole earth.

• ISLAM: The Mahdi and the Muslim Jesus institute Islamic law all over the earth.

 

• BIBLE: The Antichrist is said to “change the times.”

• ISLAM: It is quite certain that if the Mahdi established Islam all over the earth, he would discontinue the use of Saturday and Sunday as the weekend or days of rest, changing to Friday, the holy day of Islam. Also, he would most certainly eliminate the Gregorian calendar and replace it with the Islamic calendar currently used in every Islamic country.

 

• BIBLE: The Antichrist and the False Prophet will both be powerful religious leaders who will attempt to institute a universal world religion.

• ISLAM: The Mahdi and the Muslim Jesus will institute Islam as the only religion on the earth.

 

• BIBLE: The Antichrist and the False Prophet will execute anyone who does not submit to their world religion.

• ISLAM: Likewise, the Mahdi and the Muslim Jesus will execute anyone who does not submit to Islam.

 

• BIBLE: The Antichrist and the False Prophet will specifically use beheading as the primary means of execution for nonconformists.

• ISLAM: The Mahdi and the Muslim Jesus will use the Islamic practice of beheading for executions.

 

• BIBLE: The Antichrist and the False Prophet will have a specific agenda to kill as many Jews as possible.

• ISLAM: The Mahdi and the Muslim Jesus will kill as many Jews as possible, until only a few are left hiding behind rocks and trees.

 

• BIBLE: The Antichrist and the False Prophet will attack to conquer and seize Jerusalem.

• ISLAM: The Mahdi and the Muslim Jesus will attack to reconquer and seize Jerusalem for Islam.

 

• BIBLE: The Antichrist will set himself up in the Jewish Temple as his seat of authority.

• ISLAM: The Mahdi will establish the Islamic caliphate from Jerusalem.

 

• BIBLE: The False Prophet is said to do many miracles to deceive as many as possible into supporting the Antichrist.

• ISLAM: The Mahdi himself is said to control the weather and the crops. His face is said to glow. We can also assume that since Jesus is viewed as having been empowered by Allah to work miracles when He was here on earth the first time, He will most likely be expected to continue to do so when He returns.

 

• BIBLE: The Antichrist is described as riding on a white horse in the Book of Revelation.

• ISLAM: The Mahdi is described as riding on a white horse (ironically in the same verse).

 

• BIBLE: The Antichrist is said to make a peace treaty with Israel for seven years.

• ISLAM: The Mahdi is said to make a peace treaty through a Jew (specifically a Levite) for exactly seven years.

 

• BIBLE: Jesus the Jewish Messiah will return to defend the Jews in Israel from a military attack from a vast coalition of nations led by the Antichrist and the False Prophet.

• ISLAM: The Dajjal, the Islamic Antichrist, will gain a great Jewish following and claim to be Jesus Christ; he will fight against the Mahdi and the Muslim Jesus.

 

• BIBLE: The spirit of antichrist specifically denies the most unique and central doctrines of Christianity, namely the Trinity, the incarnation, and the substitutionary death of Jesus on the Cross.

• ISLAM: Islam doctrinally and spiritually specifically denies the most unique and central doctrines of Christianity, namely the Trinity, the incarnation, and the substitutionary death of Jesus on the Cross.

 

• BIBLE: The primary warning of Jesus and the Apostle Paul was to warn Christians of the abundance of deceit and deception in the last days.

• ISLAM: Islam is perhaps the only religion on earth that practices deceit as one of its tools to assist its own ascendancy. It actually has a specific doctrine that allows and even calls for deception to be used to achieve its desired end.

 

• BIBLE: The specific nations pictured in the Bible as part of the final empire of the Antichrist are all Islamic nations.

• ISLAM: All Muslims are commanded to give their allegiance to the Mahdi as the final caliph and imam (leader) of Islam.

 

• BIBLE: From the Bible and history we learn that the final Antichrist empire will be a revived version of the empire that succeeds the Roman empire.

• ISLAM: The empire that succeeded the Roman/Byzantine empire was the Islamic Ottoman empire.

 

• BIBLE: When the Antichrist emerges, a system will already exist that is poised to receive him as a savior and to give allegiance to him.

• ISLAM: Islam is already the second-largest religion and will at present growth rates become the largest religion within a few decades. Islam awaits the coming of the Mahdi with universal anticipation.

 

The “Beasts” (Empires) of Daniel’s Visions and the Heads of the AntiChrist’s Empire

The Empires not included in Daniel’s vision did not rule over the territory of Babylon and so were irrelevant to Daniel’s situation, who was a Jew deported to and living in Babylon at the time. These seven Empires, however, have all ruled over the people of Israel.

 

The Seven Heads of the Beast

• Egypt

• Assyria

• Babylon

•Medo-Persia

• Greece

• Rome

The 8^th “head” is the Islamic Caliphate, which will be revived after its defeat