Who is the AntiChrist? (Identifying Him)

[Hobie]

Daniel 2:1-3
1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.
2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.

In Daniel chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and it foretold the history and nations that would come soon after. God gave the King of Babylon a dream, “In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.”

And the King "commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams", but none could tell him the dream. But God had Daniel at the right place and time and Daniel prayed for God to show him the dream and meaning, and He did so that Daniel was able to come before the King and tell him. We see it in the verses in Daniel 2:31-45...

Daniel 2:31-45
31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.
32 This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,
33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold
39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure."

Notice these things about the image, the head was gold, then as you go down the chest and arms were of silver, his belly and thighs of brass, his legs of iron and his feet part iron and part clay. At the end, a giant stone, which the Bible is clear is Christ at the Second Coming, smites the image at its feet and destroys it all.

Now the bible interprets what these are. Each one of these parts of the body represents kings with kingdoms, and King Nebuchadnezzar and his Kingdom is the head of gold as we see in verse 38 of Daniel 2, "And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold."

When you look at who the next three kingdoms are, and you go over what is that the Image of the Kings dream, and the four beasts of Daniels dream in Daniel 7, you see they are the same. We see it in Daniel 7:17-23.
Daniel 7:17-23
17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces."

The four beasts represent four kingdoms they came up out of the sea. According to prophecy the sea or waters represent ‘peoples, nations, multitudes and tongues’, as we see in Revelation 17:15.
Revelation 17:15
And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

There are also four kingdoms in the Image the king dreamed We can see the last part of the Image is not not another world kingdom, but the same as the Iron kingdom, since the Iron of the legs extend all the way down and ends at the toes. Only at that point, that last stage of the last kingdom will be partly weak and party strong, represented by the Iron and the Clay, and divided into ten divisions when the Kingdom of Iron or Roman Empire falls apart.

Now you will find there are also four beasts in Daniels dream in chapter 7 verse 17, which are also four kingdoms.
"17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth."

Notice also when you read Daniel 7 and 8, how each preceding Kingdom conquers the former Kingdom, an event also taking place among the Kingdoms of the image in Daniel 2. See also how the fourth kingdom in Daniel 2:40 “break in pieces and bruise.” The fourth kingdom of Daniel 7:7 also “breaks in pieces.” So both dreams are about the same thing, but with different symbols.

Now who are the next three kings which take over after Babylon, The second is the Kingdom of the Medes and Persians are the silver. One which history shows was the the Persians, being stronger then the other, which were the Medes, represented by the Bear beast, which rose up after the Lion beast on “one” side. We see it in Daniel 7:4-5.
Daniel 7:4-5
4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.
5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

Now after the “bear” beast rose up another beast, or kingdom and its represented as a “leopard” with four “wings” and four “heads”. This beast is the kingdom of Greece, which conquered the kingdom of the Medes and Persians, as we find in Daniel 8:20-21...
Daniel 8:20-21
20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

Now we know that this kingdom of Greece was led by Alexander the Great, whose kingdom was divided into four section which history shows, with four of his generals as kings. This is represented by the four heads of the leopard. So now we have to identify the fourth beast, or fourth part of the image king Nebuchadnezzar dreamed of. Well think about this, what kingdom was in power when Jesus came as the promised Messiah? It was the kingdom of Rome, on this there is no question. And it was Rome that conquered the kingdom of Greece and began to rule the world, and we see the 'legs' of iron and clay in countries still here today. No other beast rose up after this beast, and the only kingdom that would rule after it would be the kingdom of God, as we see the Stone that crushes them at the end. So lets look at history and see what more it tells us.

 

[Hobie]

Now we look at Daniel 7:7-8 which also talks about this beast which was Rome...
Daniel 7:7-8
7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

Now notice something peculiar about this last kingdom. Daniel speaks of it, “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.”

Notice here that Daniel, while hearing the angels interpretation of this fourth beast, is told this beast (kingdom) has 10 horns, and one “little” horn came up out of these 10 horns and “plucked up” 3 of the preceding horns.

Now the Ten horns represent ten kings and an “extra” king rose up out of these Ten, and he “plucked up” or destroyed “three” preceding kings. We see something else..
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.

Well out of this we can give the first identifying mark in finding out who the antichrist will be. So how do we know this “little horn” power is antichrist? Well, “Anti” means “opposite or “in place of” and this little horn king makes himself “opposite” of God by speaking “great words against the most high,” trying to change God’s laws, and by wearing “out the saints of the most high”

This little horn power is the antichrist.

So what are the Ten horns? Well remember how this beast power is Rome? And remember how a “horn” represents kings? Well the Roman Empire has been divided and now we have Western Europe. Here are the 10 divisions by ancient and modern name:

(1) Alemanni – Germany
(2) Franks – France
(3) Anglo-Saxons – England
(4) Burgundians – Switzerland
(5) Visigoths – Spain
(6) Suevi – Portugal
(7) Lombards – Italy
(8) Heruli
(9) Vandals
(10) Ostrogoths

Why don’t you see the last three, Heruli, Vandals and the Ostrogoths, on your map? Simply because these are the 3 horns that the antichrist “plucked up.”

So now we have FIVE identification marks to help us identify the Antichrist:

(1) He will rise up out of the Ten divisions of Rome
(2) He will destroy 3 of the kings among these Ten divisions
(3) He will “speak great words against the most high”
(4) He will “wear out” the saints of God. He is a persecuting power
(5) He “thinks to change times and laws” Daniel 7:25

We see Rome today, but it is not as strong as it was when it ruled the world before it was divided, but Rome still exists especially as we see the parts in Europe. That’s why the feet of the image in Daniel 2 still have the same “iron” as the legs, except this time its only “partly” strong, as she is today. So we can see how we are at the last days, because in the dream we see a Stone which “smote” it at it’s feet, and destroyed it. This stone is the kingdom of God.

 

[Hobie]

So if you look at the history the timeline matches up to what scripture shows us. The kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome line up as prophecy shows actual events to occur throughout the history of Christianity from the time of Daniel until the end time. If you read your history, you will find that this understanding of who is the AntiChrist was the viewpoint of almost all Protestant Reformers and their churches from the Reformation into our era, but now is being twisted and distorted.

There are many people bringing in seeds of doubt which are wiping away the understanding Christians had. Bringing in false ideas that biblical prophecies concerning the Last Days refer to Preterism or events which took place in the first century after Christ's birth so thus nothing applies to the true history that prophecy shows. then you have others who use the twisting of Futurism, where it is clouded even more by those who say all or most of the prophecy the Bible gives us on this is in the future, right before the Second Coming. So it hides what points to the truth which history shows and we have nothing which we can apply as one has to wait, for essentially a lie.

Now if one follows what history gives us, suddenly the events line up, Alexander the Great is shown just when he appears in the flow of events given in prophecy, the Roman Empire comes right after, just as prophecy gave all the way to the Last Days. History shows us that the timeline in Biblical prophecy match up and are the Dark Ages in which the Roman Catholic Church did in fact "war against the saints". It was one of the major reason for the Protestant Reformation which come up to essentially 1260 years which ended when this entiry was wounded and basically set aside by this blow to its power.

The Protestants Reformers and theologians understood and saw that the Catholic Church in these 1260 years, from 538 AD to 1798 AD was in fact the antichrist power that Daniel prophesized about. Daniel said that that the saints would be given to his hand for "a time and times and half a time". A time represents a year in the Hebrew 360-day year. So 3 1/2 times is 3 1/2 years. This equals 42 months based on the biblical 30-day month--or 1,260 days. In Thessalonians 2 Paul told us when the 1260 years would begin. It was when the "restrainer" was removed.

Why this prophesy of Daniel is so important is that it happened exactly as prophesized. The Roman Empire began to disintegrate in the late 4th and early 5th century as invasions overwhelmed the capacity of the Empire to govern and mount a coordinated defense and the Roman Caesar "restrainer" was being removed. The 1260 year period when the antichrist power would preside over the dark ages, with its persecution and inquisitions, etc began a little later in 538 AD after the Roman Empire and the Caesars ruling at Rome had collapsed to allow another power to come in and the eastern empire ruler Emperor Justinian issued his famous decree that made the Pope the legal "Head of all the Holy Churches". This began the prophesized reign of that antichrist with its false rites, sacrament's, and system of worship. Add 1260 years to 538 AD and we come out to 1798 AD, when this evil system ended.

So what does the plain of history shows us in 1798 AD, lets find out. Napoleon's army under General Berthier entered Rome with his French troops and took down this antichrist power. The Papacy was abolished, the pontifical ring was removed, and the sitting Pope, Pope Pius VI was sent to France, where he died in exile. The Biblical prophecy happened just as given, but many try to hide the truth of the matter or say the Day/Year Principle is not applicable, and yet it fits as said in a trial, 'like a glove'.

SEDE VACANTE 1799-1800​

information on the Conclave of 1799-1800 and the election of Pius VII
www.csun.edu

https://www.catholictextbookproject.com/post/the-pope-dragged-from-rome-february-20-1798

France Abolished the Temporal Power of the Pope 1798 – Amazing Bible Timeline with World History​

In 1798, French troops entered Rome and imprisoned Pope Pius VI. His imprisonment effectively abolished Pius’s temporal power which the popes preceding him had held since the 8th century. This event is recorded on the Bible Timeline Online with World History during that time. [This article...

https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4867&context=pubs

 

[Hobie]

Now lets look at the same beast in Revelation, we find it in Revelation 13:1...
Revelation 13:1
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

Notice how the first beast in Revelation 13 rises up out of the “sea” as does the Roman beast of Daniel 7:3. Notice also how the beast in Revelation 13:1 has “ten” horns as does the Roman beast in Daniel 7.
Daniel 7:7
After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

Now compare Revelation 13 to Daniel 7...
Revelation 13:1-7
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

Notice how the beast in Revelation 13:5-6 speaks “great words and blasphemy” as does the beast in Daniel 7:8 and 25. And we see how the beast in Revelation 13:7 also “persecutes” the saints of the most high as does the beast power in Daniel 7:25. Now look more closely at Revelation 13:2 where it says “And the beast which I saw was like unto a Leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a Bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a Lion…”

Notice those are the characteristics of the three beasts which were before the fourth Roman beast that we saw in Daniel 2:31-46. So as Daniel looked forward into the future and saw all the beasts in order, John was looking backwards. This also shows that the Fourth beast has characteristics of the three beasts before him.

So now we know that the beast of Revelation 13 is the same Roman power of Daniel 2 and 7. Revelation 13 now provides more clues if one looks, in identifying who the AntiChrist entity is.

 

[Hobie]

Now lets look into the timeline of the prophecy and find what history shows. We find the 1260 year prophesy in the Bible was mentioned seven times, to emphasize it's great importance. But why is it so important, well because it perfectly identifies the Beast or antichrist power and gives understanding the other parts of scripture with prophecy. Here the exact same time in the timeline referred to as 3 1/2 times in Daniel 7 meaning the same period of 1260 days/years exact same period of persecution in church history:

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.

This verse in context is referring to a period of time that the little horn or Antichrist power will persecute the true believers or true church, for 1260 years. The same is true for the time given "that it shall be for a time, times, and an half" for Daniel 12:7

So why is it not a year equal to 365 days as we hold today? Well in ancient times the year was held to be at 360 days. The fact that the prophets understood a year as 360 days is well attested, and can be seen in the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation as seen in the use of "time, times and half a time" (i.e. 1+2+0.5=3.5), "1,260 days" and "42 months". These references represent a period of 1260 years (based on the 360 day Jewish year multiplied by 3.5). Divide 1,260 days by 42 months and you will get a 30-day month, as 12 months of 30 days equals 360-days in a year

These time periods occur eight times in scripture:
Daniel 7:25, "time, times and a half".
Daniel 9:27, "half one set of seven".
Daniel 12:7, "time, times and a half".
Revelation 11:2, "42 months".
Revelation 11:3, "1260 days".
Revelation 12:6, "1260 days".
Revelation 12:14, "time, times and a half".
Revelation 13:5, "42 months".

So we have a measuring stick in history of when this AntiChrist power would be persecuting and basically ruling without restraint in the world. The prophecy in Daniel 7 and 12, Revelation 11, 12 and 13, all mention this same persecuting power with its false system of worship, who enforce a church and state union, causing the kings of the earth to bow down and worship it. Looking at Daniel we understand this can only be the time of the Roman empire and it's change into Papal Rome.

Lets look at the following timeline which outlines just how it began when the Pope first took it's powers over church and state:

533 AD - Emperor Justinian decrees John, as the Bishop of Rome, Chief Bishop of all the churches and he was not to be questioned that in her was the supremacy of the pontificate. Edicts of Novellae, 131st chap. II. This was not the first time that the Bishop of Rome declared himself to be ruler of all the churches, but it is the first time the claim was backed up by the secular sword and temporal powers granted to the Papal System.

536 AD - General Belisarius, under the command of Justinian, marched to Rome, deposed the Ostrogoth installed Bishop of Rome (Silverius) and exiled him.

537 AD - Belisarius installed Vigilius as Bishop of Rome

538 AD - General Belisarius broke the siege and the Ostrogoths withdrew from Rome. Pope Silverius died in prison, marking it the first time Justinians Decree, the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome over the Church could actually be implemented by Vigilius.

1798 AD - General Berthier marched to Rome, entered it unopposed and proclaimed it a Roman Republic, demanded of the Pope the renunciation of his temporal authority, then take prisoner.

The Original Catholic Encyclopedia states on Pope Vigilius beginning pontificate and his temporal powers:

"From this time on the popes, more and more involved in worldly events, no longer belong solely to the Church; they are men of the state, and then rules of the state.[ EDITORS' NOTE : Some writers hold that the beginning of Vigilius' legitimate pontificate should be reckoned from 538 rather than 537, because his deposed predecessor, Silverius, did not die until June, 538." Original Catholic Encyclopedia - Home of the largest Catholic Encyclopedia resource on the web...

The 1260 years of Papal Supremacy is attested to by many sources, not just a few:

Long ages ago, when Rome through the neglect of the Western emperors was left to the mercy of barbarous hordes, Romans turned to one figure for aid and protection and asked him to rule them; and thus in this simple manner, the best title of all to kingly right, commenced the temporal sovereignty of the Popes. And meekly stepping to the throne of Caesar, the Vicar of Christ took up the sceptre to which the emperors and kings of Europe were to bow in reverence through so many ages, from sentiments of respect for the dignity of his office and because he was the only mediator whom they recognized in their almost interminable wars.

Source: Two Romes, by James P. Conry, in The American Catholic Quarterly Review, Volume XXXVI (36), edited by James Andrew Corcoran, Patrick John Ryan, Edmond Francis Prendergast, 1911, pgs. 193-194.

... the right to her Temporal Sovereignty is an integral right of the Church as constituted by her Divine Founder. It has prevailed de facto for more than twelve hundred years, and has been possessed de jure by Divine Natural Law from the beginning of Christianity,... Source: The Victories of Rome and the Temporal Monarchy of the Church, 5th edition, By Kenelm Digby Best, London, 1906, pg. xii.

Rome has been a government under the Popes for some twelve hundred years. Source: Complete Works of the Most Rev. John Hughes, Archbishop of New York, 1866, Volume 2. pg. 778

... In books of all sizes, and from the pulpit of every church, we have been taught from our infancy, that the "beast, the man of sin, and the scarlet whore," mentioned in the Revelations, were names which God himself had given to the Pope; and we have all been taught to believe of the Catholic Church, that her worship was "idolatrous," and that her doctrines were "damnable.".... Now let us put a plain question or two to ourselves, and to these our readers; and we shall quickly be able to form a just estimate of the modesty, sincerity, and consistency of these revilers of the Catholic religion: ―they will not, because they cannot, deny, that this religion was the ONLY CHRISTIAN religion in the world for fifteen hundred years after the death of Christ. They may say, indeed, that for the first three hundred years there was no Pope seated at Rome. But, then, for twelve hundred years there had been; and, during that period, all the nations of Europe, and some part of America, had become Christian, and all acknowledged the Pope as their head in religious matters; and, in short, there was no other Christian Church known in the world, nor had any other ever been thought of. Can we believe, then, that Christ, who died to save sinners, who sent forth his gospel as the means of their salvation, would have suffered a false Christian religion, and no other than a false Christian religion, to be known amongst men all this while? Will these modest assailants of the faith of their and our ancestors assert to our faces, that, for twelve hundred years at least, there were no true Christians in the world? Will they tell us, that Christ, who promised to be with the teachers of his word to the end of the world, wholly left them, and gave up hundreds upon hundreds of millions of people to be led in darkness to their eternal perdition, by one whom his inspired followers had denominated the "man of sin, and the scarlet whore"? Will they, indeed, dare to tell us, that Christ gave up the world wholly to "Antichrist" for twelve hundred years?

Source: History of the Protestant Reformation in England and Ireland, Showing How That Event Has Impoverished and Degraded the Main Body of the People in Those Countries, by William Cobbett, published in 1832 in New York by John Doyle, 12 Liberty-street; and Thomas Doyle, Market-street, Providence R.I., pages 6 and 7.

 

[Hobie]

Now if you try to say the period was only 1260 literal days, only 3 1/2 years, it applies to nothing and falls short of any event. But if you go by the 1260-day equals a year in prophecies in regard to the Papacy as the Reformers understood it, it lines up and makes sense. In 538 A.D. the Ostragoths abandoned their siege of Rome, and this left the Bishop of Rome to exercise the power and prerogatives of Justinian's decree of 533 A.D. the power and the authority of the Papacy grew, and with it persecution of the true believers and destruction of many at the stake and other torture during these dark times.

Exactly 1260 years later the Papacy suffered its "deathblow" which everyone thought was the end The armies of Napoleon in Italy placed the Pope at the mercy of the French Revolutionary Government, which declared it a enemy of the Republic. The government also urged Napoleon to destroy the center of unity of the Papal power of the Roman church, and Napoleon did just that.

When General Berthier, with the French army, marched into Rome it was proclaimed that the political rule of the Papacy was at an end and he took the Pope prisoner and removed to France where he died in exile, and it look like that was the end of the Papacy for all intents and purposes.

John in Revelation also shows the same prophecy when the Roman Church would reign for 1260 years before being "wounded unto death." Revelation 13:5, "And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months." This is the same 1260 days of Daniel and using the Day/Year Principle gives the 1260 years as confirmed by the historical records:

"Vigilius...ascended the papal chair (538 A.D.) under the military protection of Belisarius." History of the Christian Church, Vol. 3, p. 327

So the Bible says the antichrist power which is the Beast will rule for 1260 years before receiving a mortal wound. Now it's just a matter of simple mathematics. If the prophecy is correct, 1260 years after 538 AD the Beast must receive a mortal wound. If you add 1260 years to the beginning year for the Roman Catholic church, 538 AD, you will arrive in the year 1798 AD. So, according to the Bible we are told the reign of the Beast and what it would do to the year 1798.

But the prophecy then says, the wound dealt to the Beast will be healed: Revelation 13:3, "... his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast." History records this:

Mussolini and (Cardinal) Gasspari sign historic Roman pact.
"The Roman question tonight was a thing of the past, and the Vatican was at peace with Italy... In affixing the autographs to the memorable document healing the wound of many years, extreme cordiality was displayed on both sides" -The San Francisco Chronicle. Feb. 11, 1929

From 11 o' clock this morning there was another sovereign independent State in the world. At that time Premier Mussolini, as Italian Foreign Minister representing King Victor Emmanuel--the first Italian Premier ever to cross the threshold of the Vatican--exchanged with Cardinal Gasparri, Papal Secretary of State, representing Pope Pius XI, ratifications of the treaties signed at the Lateran Palace on Feb. 11. By that simple act the sovereign independent State of Vatican City came into existence.-New York Times July 7, 1929

So we see the beast is one that "was", "is not" and "yet is". Revelation 17:8, "...behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is."

The Beast that was: The Roman church began in 538 AD and continued until Napoleon sent in General Berthier in 1798.

...and is not: From 1798 until the signing of the Lateran treaty in 1929, the Roman Church/state was non-existent.

...yet is: From 1929 to present the Roman Church has been a church & state.

Bible prophecy lays it out, you just have to compare to the historical records and it shows how it comes to be fulfilled....

 

[Arch Stanton]

@Hobie

All of that to say what? Are you saying the Catholic Church is the Whore of Babylon?

 

[Mr GLee]

Anti christ (satan)another teaching authority other than sola scriptura False prophets as false apostles that bring the oral traditions of dying mankind . . . Demonstrated using Peter as one of the many antichrists' . . .that teach a man must teach them (1 John 2:26 -27) and not the promised Holy Spirit. demonstrated in in Matthew 16. Using Peter as one of the many antichrists' .Peter dying mankind rebuked the Lord of glory forbidding the apostles Jesus from doing the will of the unseen Holy father . Same false teacher of the garden "You will surely not die . . . look at my outward beauty as a lying sign to wonder after. Why believe in a God no one can see?

1 John 2:the whole chapter as a commentary on the antichrist (Satan) who seduces antichrists (plural)

1 John 2: 26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing (teaching) which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man (antichrist) teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

Nicodemus is shown as a Pope acting as a daysman (Job 9:32 -33) . .Fleshly infalible interpreter, dying mankind set between God not seen and mankind seen again as a infalible umpire .

Any congregation that make its rule don't study your Bible hear me . Charles Mansions, Jim Jones. Charles Russell, the Pope, Satan. . a list goes on

Revelation 2: 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. (hearing God and believing Him not seen) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; (believe God not dying mankind) or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick (light of the gospel )out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, (daysman) which I also hate.

 

[Hobie]

Anti christ (satan)another teaching authority other than sola scriptura False prophets as false apostles that bring the oral traditions of dying mankind . . . Demonstrated using Peter as one of the many antichrists' . . .that teach a man must teach them (1 John 2:26 -27) and not the promised Holy Spirit. demonstrated in in Matthew 16. Using Peter as one of the many antichrists' .Peter dying mankind rebuked the Lord of glory forbidding the apostles Jesus from doing the will of the unseen Holy father . Same false teacher of the garden "You will surely not die . . . look at my outward beauty as a lying sign to wonder after. Why believe in a God no one can see?

1 John 2:the whole chapter as a commentary on the antichrist (Satan) who seduces antichrists (plural)

1 John 2: 26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing (teaching) which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man (antichrist) teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

Nicodemus is shown as a Pope acting as a daysman (Job 9:32 -33) . .Fleshly infalible interpreter, dying mankind set between God not seen and mankind seen again as a infalible umpire .

Any congregation that make its rule don't study your Bible hear me . Charles Mansions, Jim Jones. Charles Russell, the Pope, Satan. . a list goes on

Revelation 2: 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. (hearing God and believing Him not seen) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; (believe God not dying mankind) or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick (light of the gospel )out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, (daysman) which I also hate.

Look a little closer, and lets look to see what is given to us on the antichrist..

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.

The antichrist has to deny Jesus came in the flesh. Let’s look up the Greek word “flesh” in the Greek Lexicon and see what it can mean..

Strong’s Hebrew/Greek Concordance:

sarx: Probably from the base of G4563; flesh (as stripped of the skin), that is, (strictly) the meat of an animal (as food), or (by extension) the body (as opposed to the soul (or spirit), or as the symbol of what is external, or as the means of kindred, or (by implication) human nature (with its frailties (physically or morally) and passions), or (specifically) a human being (as such): – carnal (-ly, + -ly minded), flesh ([-ly]).

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon:

Thayer Definition:
1) flesh (the soft substance of the living body, which covers the bones and is permeated with blood) of both man and beasts

2) the body 2a) the body of a man 2b) used of natural or physical origin, generation or relationship 2b1) born of natural generation 2c) the sensuous nature of man, “the animal nature” 2c1) without any suggestion of depravity 2c2) the animal nature with cravings which incite to sin 2c3) the physical nature of man as subject to suffering

3) a living creature (because possessed of a body of flesh) whether man or beast

4) the flesh, denotes mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God

So what is our human nature, what are all human beings guilty of according to the bible. They are all guilty of sin, they have the propensity or that which opposes God. The bible teaches that although Jesus never sinned, he became sin for us.

2 Corinthians 5:21
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Jesus came through the line of David, and we see what David said...

Psalm 51:5
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

This means that the whole line of David was a lineage individuals with a nature to sin, including Jesus. This is how Jesus, being God, could be tempted to sin as we see in the wilderness with the devil, Because he became man, and being made into a man he had the same human nature as man, the ability to sin. But yet He didnt sin...

So, how does the Roman Catholic Church teach that Jesus did not come in the flesh (human nature)? Well when they teach that the Virgin Mary was sinless at her conception of the baby Jesus, they in essence teach that Jesus has not come in the flesh, because Jesus came through her lineage, and as David had a nature to sin, she also had a nature to sin. Here is from the Catechism:

491. “Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, ‘full of grace’ through God, [Lk 1:28 .] was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854: The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of JESUS Christ, Saviour of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin. -Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus (1854): DS 2803.

To say that Jesus came into the world this way, born of a virgin who was not of sinful “flesh” as we are all in our human nature, is to say he did not come in the “flesh” of sinful nature because he came through her lineage. That is the spirit of antichrist....

 

[Marty]

There are only four verses in the entire bible that uses the word antichrist

1 John 2:18
18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.

1 John 2:22
22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son.

1 John 4:3
3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

2 John 1:7
I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

Many Christians believe that the antichrist will be the future evil world ruler of the book of Revelation who will rule the world during the end times but is that what the bible actually teaches?

It is interesting that John the disciple who wrote the four verses mentioning the word antichrist was the same John who wrote the book of Revelation. It is also interesting that John didn’t use the word antichrist in the book of Revelation. Why would this be? Could it be that the antichrist John wrote about in his epistles is different from the one most Christians believe to be the antichrist in the book of Revelation?

John used the word beast to describe the evil persecuting world leader in the book of Revelation and its description and character is much different from the description and character of the antichrist. The beast is described symbolically as a ten horned seven headed creature who rules the world and persecutes the saints.

Let’s look at who and what John says is the antichrist.

1 John 2:18-27
18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.[e] 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life.

26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.

John is showing us that the antichrist isn’t just one person but many people. John is also stating that the antichrist was present before, after and during his day. John also states that the antichrist is the opposite of truth and John tells us in the verse below that Jesus is truth

John 14:6
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Thus this antichrist who John says is a liar is antichrist because it is the opposite of truth which is Jesus who is the Christ.

Let’s look at what else John says is the antichrist.

1 John 4:1-6
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

Once again John tells us that this antichrist is not just one but many. John tells us again that the antichrist was present in his day and John also tells us that the antichrist is not just people but it is actually a spirit. Let’s take a look at the last time that John mentions the word antichrist.

2 John 1:4-11
4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

7 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.

John tells us once again that the antichrist isn’t just one but many. John then goes on to say that this antichrist is the deceiving spirit who denies that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. Jesus Christ coming in the flesh means that the Man Jesus is the Christ the anointed one the Messiah the son of God.

When we read all four verses that uses the word antichrist it seems that he was meaning apostate Israel in his day. Apostate Israel was active when John wrote these words and they denied that Jesus was the Christ by denying Jesus they also denied the Father. Antichrist is not complete in apostate Israel but they do fit the description John gave in his day.

The antichrist is much different from the sea beast in the book of Revelation. The sea beast purpose is to rule the earth to be worshipped as god, destroy Babylon the great and to try to wipeout the church. The antichrist purpose to deceive and to divert people away from the Messiah Jesus the Christ. The antichrist is more like the land beast from the book of Revelation also known as the false prophet.

In conclusion John teaches in the bible that the antichrist is not a future evil world leader but a deceiving spirit within many people who was present in John’s day and whose purpose was to divert people away from the true Messiah Jesus the Christ. John used different titles for the beast and the antichrist for a reason and John showed us what those reasons were.

 

[Hobie]

There are only four verses in the entire bible that uses the word antichrist

1 John 2:18
18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.

1 John 2:22
22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son.

1 John 4:3
3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

2 John 1:7
I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

Many Christians believe that the antichrist will be the future evil world ruler of the book of Revelation who will rule the world during the end times but is that what the bible actually teaches?

It is interesting that John the disciple who wrote the four verses mentioning the word antichrist was the same John who wrote the book of Revelation. It is also interesting that John didn’t use the word antichrist in the book of Revelation. Why would this be? Could it be that the antichrist John wrote about in his epistles is different from the one most Christians believe to be the antichrist in the book of Revelation?

John used the word beast to describe the evil persecuting world leader in the book of Revelation and its description and character is much different from the description and character of the antichrist. The beast is described symbolically as a ten horned seven headed creature who rules the world and persecutes the saints.

Let’s look at who and what John says is the antichrist.

1 John 2:18-27
18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.[e] 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life.

26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.

John is showing us that the antichrist isn’t just one person but many people. John is also stating that the antichrist was present before, after and during his day. John also states that the antichrist is the opposite of truth and John tells us in the verse below that Jesus is truth

John 14:6
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Thus this antichrist who John says is a liar is antichrist because it is the opposite of truth which is Jesus who is the Christ.

Let’s look at what else John says is the antichrist.

1 John 4:1-6
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

Once again John tells us that this antichrist is not just one but many. John tells us again that the antichrist was present in his day and John also tells us that the antichrist is not just people but it is actually a spirit. Let’s take a look at the last time that John mentions the word antichrist.

2 John 1:4-11
4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

7 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.

John tells us once again that the antichrist isn’t just one but many. John then goes on to say that this antichrist is the deceiving spirit who denies that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. Jesus Christ coming in the flesh means that the Man Jesus is the Christ the anointed one the Messiah the son of God.

When we read all four verses that uses the word antichrist it seems that he was meaning apostate Israel in his day. Apostate Israel was active when John wrote these words and they denied that Jesus was the Christ by denying Jesus they also denied the Father. Antichrist is not complete in apostate Israel but they do fit the description John gave in his day.

The antichrist is much different from the sea beast in the book of Revelation. The sea beast purpose is to rule the earth to be worshipped as god, destroy Babylon the great and to try to wipeout the church. The antichrist purpose to deceive and to divert people away from the Messiah Jesus the Christ. The antichrist is more like the land beast from the book of Revelation also known as the false prophet.

In conclusion John teaches in the bible that the antichrist is not a future evil world leader but a deceiving spirit within many people who was present in John’s day and whose purpose was to divert people away from the true Messiah Jesus the Christ. John used different titles for the beast and the antichrist for a reason and John showed us what those reasons were.

Well need to study it more than just on the surface or the one that it shows is this entity will sway you....

 

[Marty]

Well need to study it more than just on the surface or the one that it shows is this entity will sway you....

Sorry but I don't understand what you are saying

 

[EarlyActs]

[Your original post is so long, it cannot be replied to. We have Bibles, we have www.biblegateway.com. Perhaps you can remember that all you need to show are key phrases of a text. ]



The other visions of Daniel do not have us leave the scene of the Roman empire at that time. The opening of the NT is flooded with the kingdom is here--referring to what Daniel said. You are thinking it would be the same kind of kingdom. It is not.

It is true that both Ps 2 and 110 speak of a future day of crushing all enemies of the Son, but there is no mistake: the Son was enthroned by the resurrection as Lord and Christ, and this is an imperative kingdom: We must honor him, we must subject to Him.

Don't look for external significations like other kingdoms have; it is not that kind.

 

[Josheb]

Who is the antichrist?

Someone who lived in the first century AD. Someone who was one of many people living when John wrote his epistles, was expected to come during or immediately following the "last hour," and was among those who denied the Father and the Son and denied Jesus is the anointed one of God, did not confess Jesus is from God and came in the flesh.

For the record: There is no explicit mention of an antichrist in the entire book of Daniel. Sadly, many Christian leaders throughout our history have abused scripture in countless ways to make various people the antichrist in error. This is one of the saddest parts of our history and one of the leading causes in modernity why outsiders marginalize the Church. No one is going to believe anyone group of people who ALWAYS fail in what they teach.

 

[Marty]

Someone who lived in the first century AD. Someone who was one of many people living when John wrote his epistles, was expected to come during or immediately following the "last hour," and was among those who denied the Father and the Son and denied Jesus is the anointed one of God, did not confess Jesus is from God and came in the flesh.

For the record: There is no explicit mention of an antichrist in the entire book of Daniel. Sadly, many Christian leaders throughout our history have abused scripture in countless ways to make various people the antichrist in error. This is one of the saddest parts of our history and one of the leading causes in modernity why outsiders marginalize the Church. No one is going to believe anyone group of people who ALWAYS fail in what they teach.

True and there is also no mention of antichrist in Revelation either

 

[Josheb]

True and there is also no mention of antichrist in Revelation either

Yep. Right on. What do you make of that silence? What do you make of what Christian teachers have done ignoring the silence, inferring things not said, etc.?

 

[Marty]

Yep. Right on. What do you make of that silence? What do you make of what Christian teachers have done ignoring the silence, inferring things not said, etc.?

Yep so true they add things not actually in scripture to try and prove their views

 

[Hobie]

Someone who lived in the first century AD. Someone who was one of many people living when John wrote his epistles, was expected to come during or immediately following the "last hour," and was among those who denied the Father and the Son and denied Jesus is the anointed one of God, did not confess Jesus is from God and came in the flesh.

For the record: There is no explicit mention of an antichrist in the entire book of Daniel. Sadly, many Christian leaders throughout our history have abused scripture in countless ways to make various people the antichrist in error. This is one of the saddest parts of our history and one of the leading causes in modernity why outsiders marginalize the Church. No one is going to believe anyone group of people who ALWAYS fail in what they teach.

So why does the entity go to the end where it will be destroyed....

 

[Josheb]

So why does the entity go to the end where it will be destroyed....

What entity?

The assumption the antichrist is an "entity" is an assumption and assumptions are not a valid or effective means of understanding scripture. Statements like that one betray reason and always compromise the modern futurist interpretation because if the antichrist is a human and he was one of many living at the time John wrote his letters then either that man died long ago or there is a man walking around on the planet somewhere who is close to 2000 years old (in defiance of everything written in scripture about (sinful) human longevity. Furthermore, modern futurists vigorously resist "spiritualizing" or allegorizing scripture but that is exactly what must be done with the antichrist verses if this is going to be about some "entity."

John is the only New Testament author ever mentioning the antichrist and there are only four mentions in three passages.

1 John 2:18-24
Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.

1 John 4:1-3
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.

2 John 1:7
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

That is it. Nowhere else in the entire Bible does the word, "antichrist" occur. Many like to conflate the antichrist with other bad guys but they ALWAYS do so doctrinally because scripture itself never does so. NEVER.

Whoever, or whatever, the antichrists were/are, the one antichrist about John and his readership were concerned was tied to the last hour. That is not the last "ages," or the last "times" or the last "days". John, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote "hour," not any longer period of time. The Greek word, "hora" (G5610) could mean a length of time longer or shorter than a literal hour, but it is never an undefined or infinite period of time. Hora is always a fixed and finite mark of time. It is the same word used in the following verses,

Matthew 8:13
And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.

Matthew 10:19
But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given you in that hour.

Matthew 14:15
Now when it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is secluded and the hour is already past to eat; send the crowds away, so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”

Matthew 18:1
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

Matthew 24:44
For this reason you must be ready as well; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.
Matthew 26:45
Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Matthew 26:55
At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a man inciting a revolt? Every day I used to sit within the temple grounds teaching, and you did not arrest Me.

I just linked everyone in the thread to every single use of hora in the NT so anyone and everyone can examine the usage as objectively as they can and verify the word is never used to mean any unspecified amount of time and never anything like 2000 or more years. Which means any modern futurist reading 1 John 2:18's hora as something that might happen in the 21st century is breaking a very basic rule in biblical interpretation: follow the practice of scripture. The modern futurist must explain how "hour" does not mean hour, AND how it must be allegorized when they disdain allegorical interpretations AND treated differently in that one verse contrary to all the rest of scripture. The reason this is important is because the common response is either to attack the one pointing to scripture or change the topic. The onus is on the modern futurist to explain and justify this unusual interpretation and why they contradict their own hermeneutic.

Just as importantly is the fact that it was the last hour, not the first hour, the middle hour, the half-way hour, the three-quarters hour, or any other hour. It was the last one. Whatever it was that was being marked, it was the last hour at the time John wrote his first epistle. There is an implicit urgency inherent in John's words. If the conditions and/or events he was writing about did not exist at that time then there really was not any reason for any of his readers to have any concern. Antichrists existed but THE antichrist is irrelevant to you guys to whom I am now writing in the last hour. Remember: these were letter John was writing to a first century audience. He had no idea any of his letters would be preserved. He had no idea all the gospels, history, letters, and prophecy would be written preserved, and then compiled for multiple millennia. The chief reason they have relevance to us is because they all applied to the original author and his original audience at that time when they were written. A modern futurist must ignore the principle of original meaning, audience affiliation, temporal marker(s), and implicit urgency. In other words, it's not a simple lapse of one minor matter open for interpretation. A lot has to be ignored or denied for a modern futurist interpretation.

• John's readers had heard the antichrist was coming.
• It was the last hora (and hora is never 2000 or more years).
• Many antichrists already existed in the first century at the time John wrote his letters.
• Their appearance was confirmation the last hora had arrived.
• Because of an anointing from the Holy Spirit John's readers knew the antichrists were not Christians; they knew the truth.
• An antichrist is someone who denies God and the Son, Jesus the Messiah/Christ/anointed one.
• The spirit of the antichrist is any spirit that denies Jesus came in the flesh from God.

That is it. That is all. That is what the letters of John state when read exactly as written without any additional embellishment or added doctrinal "interpretation." Start with what is plainly stated. If any inferences are to be made then make them first, foremost, and only based on what is explicitly stated. The is exegetical inference. Eisegetic inference occurs when assumptions about the text are used to build inference. These same exact principles should be applied to EVERY post, every web article, every book, and every sermon. Different viewers do not get to play by their own rules. It is evidence of they deem themselves arbiters of scripture, not scripture arbiters of them.


The antichrist is not said to be an "entity." An antichrist could be angelic or human, but if THE antichrist was a human then he has died long ago simply because humans don't live that long. Any interpretation saying the antichrist was not living back then must explain how that could be said of the last hora, and how John's words had any relevance to his readers.

 

[Hobie]

What entity?

The assumption the antichrist is an "entity" is an assumption and assumptions are not a valid or effective means of understanding scripture. Statements like that one betray reason and always compromise the modern futurist interpretation because if the antichrist is a human and he was one of many living at the time John wrote his letters then either that man died long ago or there is a man walking around on the planet somewhere who is close to 2000 years old (in defiance of everything written in scripture about (sinful) human longevity. Furthermore, modern futurists vigorously resist "spiritualizing" or allegorizing scripture but that is exactly what must be done with the antichrist verses if this is going to be about some "entity."

John is the only New Testament author ever mentioning the antichrist and there are only four mentions in three passages.

1 John 2:18-24
Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.

1 John 4:1-3
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.

2 John 1:7
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.


I just linked everyone in the thread to every single use of hora in the NT so anyone and everyone can examine the usage as objectively as they can and verify the word is never used to mean any unspecified amount of time and never anything like 2000 or more years. Which means any modern futurist reading 1 John 2:18's hora as something that might happen in the 21st century is breaking a very basic rule in biblical interpretation: follow the practice of scripture. The modern futurist must explain how "hour" does not mean hour, AND how it must be allegorized when they disdain allegorical interpretations AND treated differently in that one verse contrary to all the rest of scripture. The reason this is important is because the common response is either to attack the one pointing to scripture or change the topic. The onus is on the modern futurist to explain and justify this unusual interpretation and why they contradict their own hermeneutic.

Just as importantly is the fact that it was the last hour, not the first hour, the middle hour, the half-way hour, the three-quarters hour, or any other hour. It was the last one. Whatever it was that was being marked, it was the last hour at the time John wrote his first epistle. There is an implicit urgency inherent in John's words. If the conditions and/or events he was writing about did not exist at that time then there really was not any reason for any of his readers to have any concern. Antichrists existed but THE antichrist is irrelevant to you guys to whom I am now writing in the last hour. Remember: these were letter John was writing to a first century audience. He had no idea any of his letters would be preserved. He had no idea all the gospels, history, letters, and prophecy would be written preserved, and then compiled for multiple millennia. The chief reason they have relevance to us is because they all applied to the original author and his original audience at that time when they were written. A modern futurist must ignore the principle of original meaning, audience affiliation, temporal marker(s), and implicit urgency. In other words, it's not a simple lapse of one minor matter open for interpretation. A lot has to be ignored or denied for a modern futurist interpretation.

• John's readers had heard the antichrist was coming.
• It was the last hora (and hora is never 2000 or more years).
• Many antichrists already existed in the first century at the time John wrote his letters.
• Their appearance was confirmation the last hora had arrived.
• Because of an anointing from the Holy Spirit John's readers knew the antichrists were not Christians; they knew the truth.
• An antichrist is someone who denies God and the Son, Jesus the Messiah/Christ/anointed one.
• The spirit of the antichrist is any spirit that denies Jesus came in the flesh from God.

That is it. That is all. That is what the letters of John state when read exactly as written without any additional embellishment or added doctrinal "interpretation." Start with what is plainly stated. If any inferences are to be made then make them first, foremost, and only based on what is explicitly stated. The is exegetical inference. Eisegetic inference occurs when assumptions about the text are used to build inference. These same exact principles should be applied to EVERY post, every web article, every book, and every sermon. Different viewers do not get to play by their own rules. It is evidence of they deem themselves arbiters of scripture, not scripture arbiters of them.


The antichrist is not said to be an "entity." An antichrist could be angelic or human, but if THE antichrist was a human then he has died long ago simply because humans don't live that long. Any interpretation saying the antichrist was not living back then must explain how that could be said of the last hora, and how John's words had any relevance to his readers.

No, it is those who follow the dragon or devil from which comes the spirit of antichrist or demons..
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.

Which lead it to become 'antichrist' in its purpose and thus takes this on in its whole overall form or entity, even if led by a man.

We can easily find who this entity is that persecute the saints if you look in history....

And we see it goes to the end and is destroyed...
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.

Revelation 19:20
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Revelation 20:10
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.