The Supposed Future Antichrist of Popular Expositions

The Christ of the Scriptures At His Appearing

"The way in which this dictator is going to step onto the stage of history will be dramatic. Overnight he will become the byword of the world. He is going to be distinguished as supernatural..." (1)

"For as a snare shall it (his coming) come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth." (Luke 21:35)

"This person (The False Prophet), who is called the second beast, is going to be a Jew. Many believe he will be from the tribe of Dan, which is one of the tribes of the original progenitors or the nation of Israel." (2)

"Several other items lead Bible students to conclude that Antichrist will be a Jew. It is hard to believe that Israel would receive a Gentile Messiah. No Gentile could pose as Christ with any success." (3)

Among Christ's immediate co-rulers will be Jews - the twelve apostles. "Ye also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matt. 19:23)

"The Antichrist will actually pose as the Messiah, he will claim Messianic titles and privileges... The Antichrist is a person who will attempt to convince Israel that he is their long-anticipated Messiah." (4)

"And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born." (Zech. 12:10)

"When (sic) the counterfeit christ arrives, he will perform miracles in order to convince Israel that he is the prophet like Moses. The man of sin sits as a priest in the temple and engages in prophetic ministry." (5)

"In other words, Satan himself is going to give him fantastic power. He is going to be able to work all kinds of miracles. This is one reason that Christians should not get too excited when they see a miracle. It may not be a miracle from God. Satan is a miracle worker..." (6)

(Note: At the first coming of Christ, the prevalent opinion was that there was some external being, Beelzebub, prince of the devils, who was responsible for the miracles of Jesus. (Matt 12:24) This belief in some external personage of evil pervades modern christendom today; and it is easy to see from the quote opposite to what agency the miracles of Christ at his second advent could be ascribed).

"Jerusalem .... will be the capital and center of the world dictator's (i.e. Antichrist's) rule ..." (7)

"For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." (Isaiah 2:3)

"The Antichrist will deify himself -just like the Caesars did. He will proclaim himself to be God. He will demand that he be worshipped and will establish himself in the temple of God. (2 Thes. 2:4) There is only one place where this temple of God can be and that is on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, on the site where the Dome or the Rock and other Moslem shrines now stand. There are many places in the Bible that pinpoint this location as the one where the Jews will rebuild their Temple." (8)

"The Israelis will then be permitted to reinstitute the sacrifice and offering aspect of the law of Moses. This demands that the Temple be rebuilt, because according to the law of Moses, sacrifices can only be offered in the Temple at Jerusalem. Apparently all this will be done under the protection of the Antichrist of Rome. (P.S. The Arabs are not going to like this idea of rebuilding the Temple one bit)." (9)

"Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is the Branch; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both." (Zech. 6:12,13)

"The Romans under Titus did the destroying, so the coming prince would have to be someone out of the Roman culture...(Others say that Antichrist must be a Jew, rather than someone of the Roman culture - see point 2 above. This shows the immense amount of unsubstantiated speculation that has been done.) This Roman prince will come to power just before the return of Christ. He will make 'a strong covenant' with the Israelis, guaranteeing their safety and protection. The word translated 'strong covenant' has the idea of a treaty or mutual protection pact." (10)

"It will be a covenant which will permit Israel to continue and renew her religious ceremonies including the building of a Jewish temple, and the reactivation of Jewish sacrifices." (11)

"For the children of Israel without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king..." (Hosea 3:4,5)

"With the world balance of power dramatically in his favor and the world dazzled by Russia's defeat (in its attempt to invade Israel) the Antichrist will show his true colors. He will declare himself world dictator and move to crush all opposition." (12)

The Bible clearly teaches that God, and not a human agency will destroy Russia when it moves south; the idea that some individual will do this is totally foreign to scripture.

"Ironically, the Mediterranean leader will begin his world government by proclamation. Using his consolidated position of power in the Middle East, he will promise a new day of peace and prosperity for all who recognize his leadership... This man's absolute control politically, economically, and religiously will give him power such as no man has ever had in human history. His brilliance as a leader will be superhuman for he will be dominated and directed by Satan himself. But during his 3-1/2 year rule, he will ruthlessly crush all opposition." (13)

"To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints." (Psalm 149:7,9) See also Daniel 2:44; 7:14; Psalm 72:7,11.