The Antichrist spirit has always been present at various times in history. For instance, Daniel mentions Antiochus Epiphanes IV, who in a sense is parallel to the final Antichrist referred to in Dan. 11:36; II Thess. 2:3-12; I John 4:3; II John 7; and Rev. 13:5-at the end of this age. He was a terrible tyrant who was determined to wipe out the Jewish people.
He desecrated the temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar and even set up a statue of Jupiter in the Holy of Holies. He massacred 40,000 Jews, pulled down the walls of Jerusalem, commanded the sacrifice of forbidden swine, forbade circumcision and destroyed all the sacred books that he could find. It was so dreadful that the Jews could not stand it which resulted in the Maccabean revolt.
Students of prophecy have endeavored to identify him for centuries. Nero, Hitler, Mussolini, and many others have all been suggested. However, the timing needs to be a consideration.We are now living at the correct stage in history for this world leader to be revealed.
Who is this Man?
This future strong leader has four titles: Antichrist, beast, man of sin, and son of perdition. The final title of perdition was previously applied to Judas Iscariot who betrayed his Master Jesus Christ. As John wrote this down in 96 A.D., he did not know the future world leader’s identity. “And as for the beast that once was, but now is no more, he himself is an eighth ruler (king, head), but he is of the seven and belongs to them, and he goes to perdition” (which is the same place of judgment reserved for Judas Iscariot) (Revelation 17:11).
This man’s rule will last prophetically speaking for one hour. How long a period of time does the one hour represent? The one hour leadership of this future strong man will actually last for 42 months, which is only three and a half years if the Jewish calendar at 30 days to a month is used.
And the beast was given the power of speech, uttering boastful and blasphemous words, and he was given freedom to exert his authority and to exercise his will during forty-two months-three and a half years”(Revelation 13:5).
During this time of the strong leader’s reign, Almighty God will personally see to it that His will is fulfilled as the ten decision makers in the central tier hand over their authority to this one man. “These have one common policy (opinion, purpose), and they deliver their power and authority to the beast “(Revelation 17:13).
What about those who claim that the Antichrist will be assassinated and then be resurrected from the dead?
In Revelation 13:1-3 John says he saw “a beast coming up out of the sea” He then adds that the beast had ten horns with crowns and seven heads, and that one of his heads “had been slain,” and “the fatal wound had been healed.” Here prophecy teacher David Reagan reminds us:
This is a symbolic imagery, which might refer to kingdoms rather than a person. In Revelation 12:3 Satan is portrayed as a dragon with seven crowned heads and ten horns. In Revelation 13:1 the Antichrist is pictured as a beast with seven heads and ten crowned horns. Satan’s heads are crowned because they represent the seven great world empires which he has controlled. The Antichrist’s ten horns are crowned because they represent the ten kingdoms he will initially control.
A clue to the identity of the seven heads is located in Revelation 17:9-11 where the imagery of seven mountains is used to refer to the great kingdoms of the world. We are told that at the time John was writing (about 95 A.D.), “five had fallen, one is, the other has not yet come” (Revelation 17:10). That would mean that the kingdoms past, in order, would be Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. The current kingdom (“one is”) was Rome.
The one yet to come is the kingdom of the Antichrist which will be based initially on control of ten kingdoms, but will expand into a worldwide empire which will be the eighth and last of the Gentile world kingdoms (Revelation 17:11). So, I believe the “head” referred to in Revelation 13:3 which is slain and then resurrected is the Roman Empire, and not an individual. We are witnessing that resurrection today in the emergence of the European Community.
The European Union
During his annual State of the Union address, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the “wind was back in Europe’s sails” now that Britain is on the way out. Now is the time, he said, for the European Union to forge ahead with a new UNITED STATES OF EUROPE! Junker envisions a militarized union and a European Superstate with one powerful president presiding over a very undemocratic union!
A way back in 1957, Henri Spaak, Secretary General of NATO, made a very profound statement:
We are tired of committees. Send us a man, whether he be God or the devil, we will receive him.
In a criticism of the European Union, some years ago, Dr. Henry Kissinger pointed out that the Community lacked strong leadership.
There is no strong leader with whom one can negotiate and speak for the group as a whole.
It was predicted in great detail by the prophets’ way back in 586 B.C. and then 95 A.D. that in world history there would be 7 significant empires, the European Union being the last (Revelation 17:10).
This final empire will continue to bumble along until a strong leader is appointed. Union with unity is the initial stage of this group. The inner ruling tier of 10 nations will finally submit to a strong leader.
And as for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise; and another shall arise after them, and he shall be different from the former ones, and he shall subdue and put down three kings (Daniel 7:24).
Remember the European Union will not exercise real power until a strong leader is appointed. At this point, it will require supernatural intervention, as the European Union countries have not previously been known for co-operation.
For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His own purpose by acting in harmony in surrendering their royal power and authority to the beast, until the prophetic words (intentions and promises) of God shall be fulfilled (Revelation 17:17).
His political headquarters is likely to be in Berlin, German as prophet Sundar says here in the next video:
Surveillance
He will control every citizen using the available technology. Through surveillance, wiretaps, spying, this Big Brother will be watching your every move. It is already happening. He will promise peace while preparing for war. He will further expand his empire through wars and false treaties until he controls all the nations of the world.
The Antichrist will come to power at a time of international economic crisis. Remember Hitler came to power because of the stock market crash of 1929, which triggered economic hardship in Germany. Today money is losing value at an exponential rate. Is it all part of the plan so that as money becomes valueless we move into the next level of dependence upon the government?
The danger we are facing is similar to one Germany faced before Hitler rose to power. In an economic crisis, Hitler offered a solution to a nation’s problem. He was voted in by public acclaim. Similarly, there is no leadership in Europe or in the world today.
The people’s cry is, “Give us a man!” This man of sin will be revealed exactly just as the Bible predicted. No man will be able to buy or sell anything without having the mark of the beast on his right hand or forehead (Revelation 13:17)
He will Demand Universal Worship
The Antichrist’ goal like that of Hitler will be to be worshipped. He will demand that all people throughout the world worship the beast and his image or be executed. He will be another Adolf Hitler, but more powerful, more deceptive, more blasphemous, and cruel. In his book, Hitler’s Cross, Dr. Erwin Lutzer writes,
The crowds in Germany adored and called ‘Heil Hitler’ using the famed Nazi salute which was used to invoke the power of earth and soil in the occult organization the Order of the Golden Dawn. In an interview that Lutzer conducted, she heard a woman say that when she shook hands with Hitler, she returned to her hometown to be treated like a “goddess.” She said, according to one villager, “shaken the hand of the German god.
The Eastern gurus tell us today that we are all gods and that we need to simply realize the potential inherent within ourselves. But the godhood of man, which has always been believed in various forms in the East, is now being accepted in the West too.
Just as Germany accepted Hitler because of rampant occultism, so the West and other nations are being prepared for a leader who claims to be god. After all, if we are all little gods, why can’t a charismatic ruler be called the bigger god, the personification of deity?
The False Prophet
The Antichrist will be assisted by a false prophet who will lead the world’s religions into a combined apostate church that will worship the Antichrist. He will begin with lies, craft (or deceit) to prosper and then make laws, and finally be worshipped as lord. Jesus says,
Then’ if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand (Matthew 24:23-24).
The false prophet will use counterfeit religion to support the political agenda of the Antichrist. He will deceive those who live on the earth by many signs which will be granted to him. He will be able call fire down from heaven and he will use all supernatural signs to deceive people. The magnitude of the false prophet’s abilities will cause some to turn away from the faith.
In the Book of Revelation, John writes about the accomplishments of this false prophet:
He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived (Revelation 13: 13-14 NKJV).
We should understand that Satan is capable of making many miracles and supernatural signs and just because something is supernatural doesn’t mean that it is coming from the Lord. Truth is not established by signs and wonders. It is established from the Word of God.
Jesus says: You will know the truth and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32) Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:17) False prophets will always be the people that demand worship and set themselves as God, and then afterwards they persecute God’s people to the point of total destruction.
Daniel says, “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time” (Daniel 7:25).
In summary and according to Daniel 7:21-27 and 8:23-25, the antichrist will perform these activities:
- First the antichrist will wage war against God’s people as described in Revelation 13:7.He will conquer three of the ten rulers. He might come from one of the countries of the revived Roman Empire, and subdue three of the ten kings to become head of these nations.
- He will speak out against true God of Heaven (verse 25). Scripture literally indicates that he will attempt to raise himself to the level of God and speak blasphemous words against the Most High God from his position. At the beginning of three and a half years, He will confirm a seven year comprehensive peace treaty in the Middle East and break it after three and a half years. This treaty must include Syria and Lebanon (See Daniel 9:27).
- He will enter the temple, desecrate it, and declare himself to be God. This was also predicted by Paul when he wrote.…who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).
- He will persecute the saints of the Most High God (verse 25). Though believers of the present age have a blessed hope of being removed from the earth at the coming of the Lord for His Church (See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), for those believers who will probably be left behind will be afflicted and persecuted by the Antichrist, and some will be martyred of their faith in Christ Jesus.
- He will attempt to change the moral and natural laws (Verse 25). And he will be able to perform many miracles which will cause many to believe his counterfeit miracles and become his followers. Paul also writes that the coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12).
- He will work along with another religious man called the False Prophet to introduce the mark of the Beast i.e. a silicon chip or similar, placed under the flesh of every individual who wishes to buy or sell (Revelation 13:16-18).
- He will rule this world for at least seven years until he is finally destroyed by Jesus Christ at the battle of Megiddo which in Hebrew is called Armageddon. Daniel predicts that his short reign will come to a disastrous end (Daniel 8:23-27).
Dr. Dave Williams says a few key traits that will identify the Antichrist:
Do you Know His Identity?
Great changes will occur in the European Union, and arguments and divisions will become more common. But let us not run to any instant conclusions. There are many other powerful men with qualifications which are most impressive. But there is one man who will ultimately be given full authority and will unite the previously divided countries. So if he is alive today, do you know his identity?
Author James Bailey of Z3 News has a compilation video and articles (here, here, here and here) of various people saying they had dreams or the Lord spoke to them about Obama being the Antichrist. You can of course find so many of them on You Tube.
Whether the former president is the man who will lead the world for three and a half years or these people are just conspiracy nutters, we don’t know, interestingly, he is claiming to “change the world” in his upcoming summit. To us, he is merely a “prototype” as we scan the media columns for a possible candidate.
Remember, many little antichrists precede the main Antichrist at the time of the end. So who is he? I might confess at this stage that I don’t know, but I am watching… Time will tell!
Finally, the Lord Jesus Christ is likened in Scripture to a great stone or a rock. If that rock falls on you, it will crush you. If, however, you choose to build your life on that rock, you will live forever. This great stone will collapse all earthly empires and set up His own at certain time in history. This particular time can now be easily calculated once all power has been handed over to this future strong leader.
Just as you saw that the Stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter. The dream is certain and the interpretation of it is sure (Daniel 2:45).
Notice that in that day, the Lord Jesus Christ will not be in competition with any other. God through Jesus Christ will set up His own Kingdom and rule the whole world. When Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man can come to Father except through Me, He wasn’t joking!
