Characteristics of the Antichrist

[Hobie]

We have the text giving us the characteristics of what is Antichrist.
1 John 2:18
Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

1 John 2:22
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 4:3
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

2 John 1:7
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.

So it shows us has what has generally been understood to mean opposed to Christ, or against Christ, with the assumption that the Greek prefix anti means essentially what the English anti means. In English anti-war would rightfully be understood to mean against war, or opposed to war. However, the question must be asked, What is the primary meaning of the GREEK word anti, and how does this amplify our understanding of the biblical term antichrist?

Fortunately, there are numerous examples of the Greek term anti found in the Scripture, and an examination of them will prove helpful. There at least 16 occurrences of the term anti found in the New Testament, with 15 of them being translated for in the King James Bible, while one time it is translated by the phrase 'in the room of'. Lets look at the usage first of all, which is found in Matthew 2:22.
Matthew 2:22
But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:

With the key word being 'notwithstanding', also another text anti is translated for is Matt.20:28.
Matthew 20:28
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

We see it reads "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many." with 'came not' being the key to anti.

It is clear from these usages of anti the primary meaning of the term is instead of, or in place of, consistent with the word for. If one attempts to read any of the foregoing text and in the place of for substitute against, or opposed, the logic is lost. The Son of man did give His life against many, but as a substitute for many, or in the place of many.

Without argument, many times one who takes the place of another does so as an antagonist, or in opposition to him, and so these words which employ the prefix anti which have the meaning of opponent as their primary meaning. An example of this would be the word antidikos[adversary] in texts such as I Peter 5:8,
1 Peter 5:8
Be sober, vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

But, because the bare term anti clearly utilizes the concept of substitution, it would be a mistake to examine the word antichrist without this in mind. Taking this approach, the antichrist is first of all one who seeks to take the place of Christ, to exercise authority instead of Christ. This is a concept with which is demonstrated by texts such as 2 Thessalonians 2:4.
2 Thessalonians 2:4
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.

The man of sin is described as usurping authority not rightfully belonging to him, attempting to masquerade as God, sitting in the seat of God. It is interesting to note that the word translated oppose in verse 4 is again a compound word, antikeima, meaning one who lies in the place of, or one who lies against. In Revelation 13, the beast power seeks to take the place of God by exhorting worship, something which rightfully belongs only to God, fulfilling the age-old designs of the arch-enemy, whose ambitious aspirations are recorded by the prophet Isaiah "Thou {Lucifer) hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High."(Isaiah 14:13,14)

With many Bible Scholars who have studied this and found the fulfillment of these prophetic symbols in the historical papacy, the question becomes how does it fit the interpretation. Without question, the papal power has attempted to take the place of Christ by title, by pronouncement, and by practice. The term vicar of Christ is instructive to compare the context. Vicar is of Latin origin, and means one who takes the place of, or one who acts instead of. We use the adjective vicarious to describe Christ's substitutionary sacrifice. Thus, when the pope identifies himself as the vicar of Christ, to operate in His stead, as His substitute, take note of this strange irony, then. Since both anti and vicar mean the same thing, namely substitute or one who takes the place of, the one from Greek and the other from the Latin, when the pope accepts the title vicar of Christ, he is thereby also accepting the title of anti Christ. Unfortunately, since most assume that the anti of antichrist means only against, or in opposition to, they are looking for a fulfillment of this prophetic symbol outside the church, while the Bible clearly identifies this power as coming from within. We saw in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 that he sits "in the temple of God." We see more on this in Acts 20:30.
Acts 20:30
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

We see here that Paul warned the Ephesian elders "of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things". And we see even more in Revelation 17:3.
Revelation 17:3
So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

John saw in vision, Babylon typified as a woman (a church) which sat on a beast.

There is no question that the antichrist of the New Testament is an opponent of the true Christ, whose work is against that of Christ. But it would be a mistake when discussing the term antichrist to not include the characteristics of the antichrist which is also referred to under other names.

 

[Hobie]

We find Paul gives this clue in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 and it has a name attached to it.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
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.

"The son of perdition", who is the son of perdition? We see many who say it is Judas. But is it, Judas betrayed Christ for the thirty pieces of silver, but he doesnt fit the context given in the prophecy as Paul is talking to the Thessalonians about deception which Judas couldnt do as he was dead, and especially the 'falling away first'.

Second, "perdition" in the Greek is:
G684
ἀπώλεια
apōleia
ap-o'-li-a
From a presumed derivative of G622; ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal): - damnable (-nation), destruction, die, perdition, X perish, pernicious ways, waste.

G622
ἀπόλλυμι
apollumi
ap-ol'-loo-mee
From G575 and the base of G3639; to destroy fully (reflexively to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively: - destroy, die, lose, mar, perish.

We also see the "son of perdition" will do something in verse 4 of 2 Thessalonians 2. '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.'

Judas didn't sit in God's temple claiming to be God. So we look to see if this prophecy fits the devil after he fell.
Isaiah 14:12
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!

"Lucifer" in the Hebrew is:
H1966
הילל
hêylêl
hay-lale'
From H1984 (in the sense of brightness); the morning star: - lucifer.

Christ is the true morning star:
Revelation 22:16
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

Satan always wanted to be God and will do everything he can to pretend he is Christ when he's here to deceive the world.
Isaiah 14:13
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

The "north" is God's throne..
Ezekiel 8:3
And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.

We see that the will be something Jerusalem, and provoke jealousy, it is Satan. So who is Satan provoking.
We see what God said in Exodus.
Exodus 20:3
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

And repeated it in Deuteronomy..
Deuteronomy 5:7
Thou shalt have none other gods before me.

When Satan is here and shows up in Jerusalem he will want the whole world to worship him as God as he has always wanted as Isaiah 14:14 shows.
Isaiah 14:14
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Again, Lucifer (satan) will be here claiming worship that belongs to God and wanting to be God. He did it in heaven and deceived a third of the angels and they followed him.
Revelation 12:3-4
3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

Ezekiel 28:2 also identifies Satan and what he desires.
Ezekiel 28:6
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;

"Tyrus" in the Hebrew means "rock"
There is a fake rock and the True Rock (Duet 32). Our True Rock is Christ, and not the fake rock, which is satan
The Prince and King of Tyre, in Ezekiel 28 are Satan.

Now we also see another name used for Satan. Revelation 9 gives us the name over the locust army. God gives it to us in both the Hebrew and the Greek so there is no way of missing it:
Revelation 9:11
And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

"Abaddon" in the Hebrew is:
G3
Ἀβαδδών
Abaddōn
ab-ad-dohn'
Of Hebrew origin [H11]; a destroying angel: - Abaddon.

H11
אבדּון
'ăbaddôn
ab-ad-done'
Intensively from H6; abstractly a perishing; concretely Hades: -

Who is the destroying angel? Satan

"Apollyon" in the Greek:
G623
Ἀπολλύων
Apolluōn
ap-ol-loo'-ohn
Active participle of G622; a destroyer (that is, Satan): - Apollyon.

Apollyon comes from the same word as "perdition", as seen up above.

But is Satan the "son of perdition", no, he is the source of it, but someone else sits in Gods church with the characteristics of Satan, who is the "son of perdition" and as you can see 'that man of sin be revealed' is has a man at its head.

In the description of the man of sin, the son of perdition, who operates under cover for a time and is then revealed at the end, we are told opposes God, exalts himself above God, sits in the temple, and proclaims that he is God. Exalting himself above God and usurping God’s place in the heavenly temple recalls the little horn of Daniel 8. Showing himself to be God recalls Satan in scripture in Isaiah and Ezekiel, but it also points to the blaspheming power of Daniel and Revelation.
Daniel 7:11
I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

Daniel 7:25
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.

Revelation 13:6
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

So, the description of the man of sin contains elements pointing to both Satan himself and a wicked agent of Satan in the course of Christian history. Through much of Christian history he has operated to undermine God’s law, in particularly the Sabbath, and to usurp powers that belong only to Christ. In passages such as Daniel 7 showing the little horn power and Revelation 13 showing the Beast from the sea, we see this same power operates after the fall of the pagan Roman Empire, combining both religious and secular authority to persecute the saints of God. Many interpreters and Bible Scholars from the Middle Ages, and even to this day, have designated this entity that has all the characteristics as the antichrist. The only power in history that fits all the specifications of these prophecies and characteristics is the power in the church of Rome, the Papacy.

 

[Two-Edged Sword]

I would argue that Satan is the Antichrists himself. He is pictured as a man in Isaiah 14:16 "...Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;..."

I would also argue that Satan is is not just ruling in the Catholic churches but also Christian churches of any domination (probably most churches now days). Revelations starts with warnings to the churches that Christ would remove Himself (the “Candlestick”) if they don't repent from not keeping proper teachings and behavior as directed by scripture. That sets the foundation for what is allegorically presented throughout the rest of the book of Revelations.

If interested, I've attached a Revelations study that shows from the Bible (alone), using the Bible as it's own dictionary, how Satan exalts himself above all that is called God in the end times, which perhaps we're in.

 

[Mr GLee]

I would offer .Anti. . . .another teaching authority other than all things written in the law and prophets .False prophets, false apostles

I would argue that Satan is the Antichrists himself. He is pictured as a man in Isaiah 14:16 "...Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;..."

I would also argue that Satan is is not just ruling in the Catholic churches but also Christian churches of any domination (probably most churches now days). Revelations starts with warnings to the churches that Christ would remove Himself (the “Candlestick”) if they don't repent from not keeping proper teachings and behavior as directed by scripture. That sets the foundation for what is allegorically presented throughout the rest of the book of Revelations.

If interested, I've attached a Revelations study that shows from the Bible (alone), using the Bible as it's own dictionary, how Satan exalts himself above all that is called God in the end times, which perhaps we're in.

I agree man who made the earth tremble also called the man of sin.

2 Thessalonians 2:3 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;

Both words antichrist singular and anti christs plural a distinction must made Satan would have it all one in the same .

Satan the spirit of lies (legion). as the opposing spirit of the word of God. He has no form to spread his lies .It would seem trying to deceive mankind that God who is not a man. . that he a man the Jewish King of kings.

Peter used to represent a false apostle (antichrists') was seduced by the antichrist (singular) that works in many (legion) antichrists' .Again antichrist plural ,those deceived and sent.

There Satan trying to deceive mankind that God is a man as King of kings .

The antichrist Satan rebuked our unseen Holy Father and forbid the Son of man Jesus from doing the will of our invisible God ..

Peter was forgiven of his blasphemy against the Son of man Jesus That 33 year window of opportunity closed. Blasphemy against the unseen Holy Spirit is not forgivable.

Matthew 16:22-23 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

The Pope took on the persona of Peter a false prophet, sent as false apostles Why they chose Peter an not Jesus or John remains a mystery???

 

[Hobie]

I would argue that Satan is the Antichrists himself. He is pictured as a man in Isaiah 14:16 "...Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;..."

I would also argue that Satan is is not just ruling in the Catholic churches but also Christian churches of any domination (probably most churches now days). Revelations starts with warnings to the churches that Christ would remove Himself (the “Candlestick”) if they don't repent from not keeping proper teachings and behavior as directed by scripture. That sets the foundation for what is allegorically presented throughout the rest of the book of Revelations.

If interested, I've attached a Revelations study that shows from the Bible (alone), using the Bible as it's own dictionary, how Satan exalts himself above all that is called God in the end times, which perhaps we're in.

Then where is God, no, like when He said do you see my servant Job. God always has his faithful representing Him on earth, so not all of the churches are Satans..