The Anti-Christ

  Who or what is the Antichrist? 

Also go to here  for another opinion of just who the antichrist is.

The answer is on this page folks! He is one person. He was, is not now, but shall be again at the 5th trumpet. And he's bad news and you best be "sealed" or you will suffer much pain from him.

It’s in the Bible, 1 John 2:18 NIV. “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.” God is here speaking to the early church. Obviously, the word 'hour' is used in a figurative sense. The same word in the original Greek is often translated as 'time', for example as in the King James translation of this same verse. God is stating that mankind is living in the 'last time', the last era, the last dispensation, the last period of Earth’s history. Theologians call this time period the 'dispensation of the Church', or the 'Church age'. God is reminding the early-church brethren of a prophecy they had already heard; namely, that the Antichrist was going to come.

The original Greek word for 'antichrist' can have two meanings. It can mean 'against Christ', in the sense of someone or some power who opposes the work of Christ. Or alternatively, the word can mean 'instead of Christ', signifying a person or power who 'takes the place of Christ', or is a 'counterfeit of Christ'. In the verse we read, God informs the brethren that in addition to the coming of a special Antichrist, there were many other antichrists already in existence during the era of the early church. The Bible explains in 1 John 2:19 & 26 NIV, “They (the antichrists) 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… I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.” Thus, according to God’s Word, the antichrists were counterfeit Christians who had split away from the body of true believers. They were deceivers who had not really experienced a genuine gospel conversion. They were liars who denied the Messiahship of Jesus; for the Bible declares in 1 John 2:22 NKJV, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.” In 2 John 1:7, NKJV, God states “For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” And in 1 John 4:1 NKJV, Scripture admonishes “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

The deceiving antichrists are even preaching a gospel, but it is not the true gospel. It is a 'different gospel'. The Bible warns in 2nd Corinthians 11:4 &13-15 NIV, “For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough…For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. Is it not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness.” Thus, in contrast to the popular view which regards antichrists to be anti-Christian atheists and pagans, the Bible teaches that antichrists are actually false prophets and false apostles who masquerade as real Christians. Antichrists sincerely regard themselves to be genuine followers of Christ, but in reality they are empowered by the spirit of Satan, and they are opposing the work of God.

Jesus cautioned the Church about the deceptive work of these counterfeit prophets, declaring in Matthew 7:15 NAS, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” In verses 21 thru 23, Christ describes the tragic fate to be faced by these false believers on the day of His Second Coming. Jesus warns, “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons, and in your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.' ” Even though the false apostles claim to be Christians, even though they can perform signs and miracles, including casting out demons in the 'name of Jesus', Christ declares that he does not know them. Because of their lawlessness, their disregard for God’s Holy Law, they are turned away from entering into the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus further warned that during the period leading up to his Second Coming at the end of the Church age, antichrists would verily try to impersonate him, claiming to be the returned Messiah. It’s in the Bible, Matthew 24:4 & 5 NIV. “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.” In the same chapter, verses 24-26 assert: “At that time, if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time. So, if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.”

What will happen to this Antichrist, and how will we recognize him? It’s in the Bible, 2nd Thessalonians 2:8-10 NIV. “And then the Lawless One will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus Christ will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. The coming of the Lawless One will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refuse to love the truth and so be saved.”

The way to avoid being deceived by the coming great Antichrist and his counterfeit miracles, is to have a love of the truth. That same truth will protect us from the wiles of the other lesser antichrists. And where is the truth to be found? It’s in the Bible, Psalm 119:160 Amplified Version, “The sum of your Word is truth, and every one of your righteous decrees endures forever.”

Few students of Bible prophecy will deny that we live in the days just prior to the return of Jesus Christ. All around we see the signs of the Saviour's return: wars, famines, disease epidemics, sexual vice, religious/ethnic persecution, global pollution, floods, droughts, escalating violence and the terrifying rape of earth's natural resources. Yes, these are the closing days of our age and only the spiritually blind will fail to recognise that something is terribly wrong. Before the Saviour left this earth, he listed the events (signs) that would occur on earth just prior to his return. They are recorded in passages such as Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21.
Matt.24: 6: And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7: For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8: All these are the beginning of sorrows..
Commenting on the behaviour of mankind in the last days the Apostle Paul writes the following: 2 Tim.3: 1: This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2: For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3: Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4: Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5: Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
No one will doubt that these are accurate descriptions of our time. Even the unbelieving world is becoming increasingly aware that something is terribly wrong with the human race. But what is the next event before Jesus Christ (Yashua the Messiah) returns to earth? Millions of Christians think that the next event will be the Secret Rapture. The rapture, they think, could occur any moment now ­ any day, any night! When it does occur, they believe, millions of faithful Christians will be secretly caught up to heaven, leaving the rest of mankind to go through the Great Tribulation described in the book of Revelation. Is that what you are waiting for ­ the Secret Rapture?

If you are, then read the following article with special care

The Apostle Paul warns the church not to be deceived by any false teaching about the vital matter of the Messiah's return. He tells us that before the Saviour returns to earth the Antichrist, the Man of Sin, will appear. In other words, close though we are to the return of Jesus Christ, expect the appearance of the Antichrist first. Consider Paul's words in: 2 Thess. 2: 1: Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2: That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
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.
Notice that before Jesus Christ returns to earth these two events must take place:
A falling away first
The man of sin is revealed
The falling away (from the Truth and the Faith once delivered to the early church) has already begun. All over the world believers are giving up their faith and rebelling against the truth. These foundations of law and order (faith and obedience) are being jettisoned. Open any newspaper, switch on any radio or television set in any country and rebellion against law and order will be the main news, in so-called Christian countries! What is even more tragic is that thousands of Christian preachers also take delight in rebelling against the law of God! They teach:
That Yahweh's law is now obsolete
That it restricts man's freedom
That it is impossible to keep anyway
And that believers are all free from the law!
It is difficult, if not impossible, to describe the gravity and danger of such error. But this paper is not about Yahweh's law nor the church's falling away from the truth. This article is about the Antichrist, who is also referred to in the Scriptures as the Son of Perdition, the Lawless One, the Man of Sin etc. Make no mistake, failure to identify the Antichrist, who is to appear just before the return of Jesus Christ to earth, will be catastrophic.
No one can afford to mistake the identity of the Antichrist. To do so could cost a person eternal life! This Bible­based article will help the reader identify him when he makes his appearance. Read it prayerfully, several times over, and keep it in a safe place. In the Bible the Antichrist is known by several names or descriptions. They are:
The Son of Perdition.
The Wicked One.
The Beast
The Man of Sin.
The Little Horn
The Mystery of Lawlessness etc
Some of our readers will be acquainted with these terms, for many books and articles have been written about the Antichrist. But, strange as it may seem, comparatively few writers support with scriptural proof their conclusions about the Antichrist. Therefore in order to arrive at the truth, we will allow the Scriptures alone to give us the answer to the question:
Who/What is the Antichrist? As we have already pointed out, failure to identify the Antichrist will be catastrophic. The reader is advised, therefore, to check all the statements and conclusions made in this article to confirm that they are scripturally sound. If you do not agree with what is written here, then let us have your opinion; making sure that you give an alternative explanation to all the texts that we have used to prove our stand. Six identifying clues about the Antichrist will now be considered.
CLUE NO. 1
The Antichrist is the 'Man of Sin'
2 Thess.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;
He is called the man of sin (another word for lawlessness) because he vainly thinks that he can break and finally change the law of the Almighty God. According to the prophet Daniel the particular commandments the Antichrist vainly imagines he can break and change are the ones which deal with the element of time. This means the Sabbath commandments; for they are the only ones in the law of God which deal with the element of time
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:
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:
The Aramaic word sh@na' {shen-aw'} means to change, transform, frustrate. And the Aramaic word z@man {zem-awn'} means a set time or season. In other words the Antichrist would attempt to change, transform and frustrate the Almighty's set or appointed times in God's law. And that is exactly what the Lawless One has tried to do by introducing the pagan festivals of Christmas, Easter and Sunday.
CLUE NO. 2
The Antichrist lived before the year AD 96.
When the prophecy of the Revelation was being given (about AD 96) the Beast, to all intents and purposes, was dead.
Rev.17: 8: The beast that thou sawest was, and is not…
This is a vital clue; for it tells us that the Beast lived before the year AD 96; 'he was' (was alive) before the Revelation was given. It also tells us that the Beast was dead in that year; he 'is not;' was not alive when the prophecy was given. A small but vital clue, so remember it.
CLUE NO. 3
The Antichrist will rise to life from out of the Bottomless Pit.
Rev.11: 7: And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
Rev.17: 8: The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition…
What is the Bottomless Pit? Where is Bottomless Pit?
According to Strong's Bible Dictionary the Greek word abussos {ab'-us-sos} translated Bottomless Pit is the bottomless, unbounded abyss: a pit of immeasurable depth: a very deep gulf or chasm in the lowest parts of the earth used as the common receptacle of the dead and especially as the abode of demons
In the Gospel of Luke we read how evil angels in times past begged Jesus not to order them to the 'deep,' the 'abussos,' the Bottomless Pit, the Abyss, the angel penitentiary where the Beast is being held captive.
Luke 8: 31: And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.
2 Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.
Jude 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
In other words, many evil angels are currently being held captive in the Abyss (the Bottomless Pit, a place in the lowest parts of the earth) where they await their Day of Judgement. Free-roaming demons are terrified of being sent there. This clue tells us that the Antichrist comes from that place - the Bottomless Pit!
CLUE NO. 4
When the Antichrist rises from the Abyss he will reveal himself to mankind and claim to be God!
Rev.17: 8: The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
2 Thess.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.
5: Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6: And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7: For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8: And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.
So important is this clue that it must be repeated: When the Antichrist ascends from out of the Abyss, he will claim to be God and will reveal himself to mankind!
Notice that the Antichrist doesn't merely speak as though he were an infallible spokesman of God. Many Roman Catholic and Protestant leaders already do that. Oh no, the Antichrist goes much further; he will reveal himself to mankind and say: I AM GOD!
CLUE NO. 5
The Antichrist will reign for three and a half years (42 months).
After being released from the Abyss the Antichrist will begin a world-wide reign of terror which is scheduled to last three and a half years or 42 months. During this period virtually every person on earth will worship the Antichrist as God!
Dan.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.
Time = 1 year.
Times = 2 years.
Dividing of Times = half a year.
This makes a total of three and a half years or 42 months.
Rev.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.
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.
8: And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
CLUE NO. 6
Antichrist will attack the armies of heaven and challenge Jesus Christ himself.
According to the prophecy of Daniel 8 the Little Horn will attack the army of heaven, enter the heavenly Temple and cast many of God's holy angels to the earth. He will even challenge Christ, the Prince of the heavenly host!
Dan.8: 10: And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
11: Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.
The temporary victory against the heavenly sanctuary and its host deludes the Antichrist into thinking he can even prevent the true Messiah from returning to the earth. In a vain attempt to accomplish this futile plan, the Antichrist, Beast marshals the armies of the world to make war against the Saviour at his second advent
Rev.19: 19: And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
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.
That is how the Antichrist will meet his death: in the lake of fire. From that death the Antichrist will never rise again.
POPULAR BELIEFS ABOUT THE ANTICHRIST
Incredible as it may seem, none of the popular interpretations about the Antichrist fit these six scriptural clues. Most do not fit even two clues, let alone all six. Let us now consider some of the popular opinions about the Antichrist that are circulating in the Christian world.
International Communism
Many groups believed that International Communism was the Antichrist. In view of the break up of the former Soviet Union that interpretation is now dead. Communism, in fact, does not match clues 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
United Nations Organisation (UN)
Others think that the UN is the Antichrist. But the UN's impotence is all too evident these days. Besides, the UN doesn't fit a single one of those six clues; so it cannot be the Beast.
European Economic Community (EEC):
Still others think that the EEC is the Antichrist; that as the resurrected Roman Empire it will some day govern the whole world. But the EEC also doesn't match a single one of those six clues. Besides the EEC has been in existence a lot longer than three and a half years.
The Papacy
Millions of Protestants believe that the Papacy is the Antichrist. This is a tragic mistake. How do we know? Because of the following reasons:

The Papacy did not come out of the Abyss as required by Clue No.2. The Abyss remains shut till after the sealing of the 144000.
The Papacy was not in existence before AD 96 as required by Clue No.3.
The Pope does not claim to be God as required by Clue No.4.
Nor do Roman Catholics, let alone the whole world, worship the Pope as God. (Clue No.5) The Pope claims to be the Vicar of God. Indeed thousands of vicars, prophets and priests of many faiths make the same claim.. The Papacy has been in power for a lot longer than three and a half years; whether we compute a day for a year or not Clue No.5. The Papacy is totally incapable of attacking the heavenly host and casting some of God's holy angels down to earth. Nor will the Papacy be able to marshal earth's armies to fight Jesus Christ at his return. The very idea is ludicrous. See Clue No.6. In other words, the Papacy doesn't even fit two of the six clues. So labelling the Papacy as the Antichrist is both unscriptural and dangerous. To be sure, the Papacy is one of the Great Whore's prostitute daughters whose spiritual mother rides the Beast of Revelation; but the Papacy is not the Beast.
A New World Order
A New World Order
Some groups believe that the Antichrist is a New World Order, a coalition of the world's religious and political systems. To be sure, when the Antichrist appears he will head the world's final political, religious and military systems; which, as predicted, are led by him to attack the land of Israel (Zech.14:1). But the Antichrist is not the system itself. When he arrives a confederacy of the remnants of all the powers that have gone before (the lion, the bear, the leopard etc.) will be under his leadership; but the Antichrist is not the confederacy. He is the MIND in the seventh head; five previous heads had fallen (those that had ruled ancient Egypt, Assyria, Babylon,Medo/Persia, Greece); the sixth (Rome) was still in power in AD 96. The seventh world empire is in the process of development. It is coming into existence at this very moment. (1998) Antichrist will indeed head this world-dominating end-time religio/political systems; but he is not a world empire. I repeat, he is the seventh head of the world's last empire. He is the brain that will control it. The belief that the Antichrist is a composite religio­political confederacy is incomplete; it does not fit all the scriptural clues we have listed in this article.
THEY ARE:
Clue No.1 refers to the Antichrist as the Man of Lawlessness, the Son of Perdition. One could hardly refer to a world order as a man!
Clue No.2 requires that the Antichrist existed before AD96. How could it logically be called a 'new world order' if it existed long ago?
Clue No.3 requires that the Antichrist is resurrected from the Abyss. The Abyss, as we have learned, is an angel dungeon which remains shut till after the 144000 are sealed. The Abyss houses evil angels, not human beings or man­made systems.
Clues 4 & 5 say the Antichrist will claim to be God; and that virtually all the peoples of the world will worship him as God. How can a religio/political system claim to be God? And even more unthinkable, can you imagine the peoples of the world accepting such a claim and then worshipping that confederacy as God? The idea is farcical.
Satan the Devil
Others believe that Antichrist is Satan the Devil.
They are also mistaken, because of the following reasons:
1. In the Revelation Satan is pictured as the Dragon (Rev 12:3­9), whereas the Antichrist is pictured as the Beast to whom the Dragon gives his power, his throne and great authority (Rev.13:1­2). How, then, can they be the same person?
2. Satan was not confined to the Abyss before AD 96. Indeed Satan has been alive, free and very active ever since the Garden of Eden. Scores of scriptural texts prove this fact.
3. Satan will be cast into the Abyss at Christ's return and held a captive there for a thousand years (Rev 20:1). The Antichrist, however, will be burned to death in the lake of fire at Christ's return (Rev 19:20).
In other words, we are dealing with two separate beings:
The Beast who will be released from the Abyss shortly before Christ's return; and will be put to death at the Saviour's return.
And Satan the Dragon who will be cast into the Abyss for a thousand years at the Saviour's return.
WHO OR WHAT, THEN, IS THE ANTICHRIST?
Now that we have examined what the Scriptures have to say about the Antichrist; and how the popular interpretations concerning him do not match those six clues, the question still remains: Who or what is the Antichrist? The following answer takes into account the scriptural clues detailed in this article. We trust that you will prayerfully consider it. Before giving the answer let us summarise what we have already learned from those six clues:
1. The Antichrist is a lawless being who vainly imagines he can change the Sabbath and Festival commandments in Yahweh's law.
2.The Antichrist lived sometime before the year AD 96. In that year he was referred to as being dead.
3. Along with many other evil spirits, the Antichrist was imprisoned in the bottomless Pit; an angel penitentiary from which he will be released at the 5th Trumpet. His release will take place after the sealing of the 144000. At his release he will only be allowed to torment those who do not have the seal of God in their foreheads (Rev.9:4).
4. On being released from the Abyss the Antichrist will reveal himself to mankind and claim to be the Almighty God! (Rev.17:8, 2 Thess.2:4)
5. His reign of terror will last three and a half years: during which time virtually all the inhabitants of the earth will worship him as God.
6.He will then attack the heavenly sanctuary and cast some of God's holy angels down to the earth. He will finally marshal the armies of the world in an attempt to prevent Christ returning to earth. But he will be defeated in the attempt and burned to death in the lake of fire (Dan.8:9­14, Rev.19:19­21).
QUESTION: Who, then, is the Antichrist?
ANSWER: With those six scriptural clues in mind we answer as follows:
The Antichrist is Abaddon the demon king of the Bottomless Pit.
Abaddon is the leading demon to be released from the Abyss from where the Beast comes. Abaddon is called the King of the Bottomless Pit. He alone can fit those six scriptural clues. If you will read Revelation chapter 9 you will get some idea of how this sadist of unspeakable depravity will behave when he is released from the Abyss. The only safeguard against Abaddon the Destroyer is to accept the Seal of God in your forehead (your mind). Yahweh's seal is His law; and the Sabbath Days in His law are His Signature, His Sign.
Isa. 8:16 Bind up the testimony, seal the LAW among my disciples. Heb.8: 10: For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my LAWS into their mind, and write them on their hearts...
Eze.20: 12: Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a SIGN between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.
When the Abyss is opened the world is going to witness scenes of awful terror. Because that is when Abaddon the Exterminator will arise from the Abyss to brutalise mankind. Yes, ABADDON IS THE ANTICHRIST for he alone fits those six identifying clues.
Rev.9: 11: And they had a king over them, which is the Angel of the bottomless pit (the Abyss) whose name in the Hebrew is ABADDON, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon (the Destroyer)
The prophecy also tells us that three unclean spirits like frogs, the spirits of devils, issue from the mouths of the Dragon, the Beast and the false Prophet. In other words, the Antichrist (the Beast) is an evil, unclean being like Satan the Devil and the False Prophet. Unclean output (lies) issues from each of their mouths
Rev.16: 13: And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
As king of the evil host which emerges from the Bottomless Pit, Abaddon is the personification of evil, a sadist of unspeakable depravity and he speaks with an unclean, lying tongue!
Abaddon is to Satan what Jesus (Yeshua) is to Yahweh his Father.
Abaddon is the Lawless One, Yeshua (Jesus) is the Righteous One.
Abaddon is the False Messiah, Yeshua is the True Messiah.
Abaddon existed ages ago, before he was consigned to the Pit for sexual sins hinted at in 2 Peter 2:4­7, Jude 6­7. Satan awaits Abaddon's release from the Bottomless Pit with great impatience. When the Bottomless Pit is opened Satan will hand over all his power and authority to Abaddon (Rev.13:2) in the same way as God the Father handed all power and authority over to Jesus His only begotten Son (Matt.28:18). Yes, Abaddon is the Antichrist, the Lawless One, the Man of Sin!
In the light of Scripture no other logical conclusion is possible. We live in a world of escalating turmoil and rebellion. In the home, the classroom, the state and the church, rebellion is the order of the day and millions are falling away from the faith. This is the first phase of the Apostle Paul's prophecy (2 Thess.2) and we have already entered it. The next phase is the coming of the Antichrist, Abaddon the demon from the Abyss. Are you taking steps to escape the terrors of Abaddon? Remember only those who have the Seal of God in their foreheads will escape Abaddon's tortures (Rev.9:4).
What is the Seal and Sign of God?
What is the Mark of the Beast?
These are questions which you must be able to answer ­ correctly. Patiently waiting to be raptured away to heaven when the Scriptures warn of lawlessness and impending doom is courting disaster to say the least. You must awake to the realities of the great rebellion against law and order that is currently sweeping the world. You must also be on your guard against those who preach lawlessness from the pulpit; that the Law of the Almighty is obsolete and that the Sabbath and Festival commandments in it have been changed or done away with. Be on special guard against that dangerous deception!
SBS   Sermon Notes   Understand the Revelation

The antichrist identified - The Beast With 7 Heads

CHRISTIAN MEDIA - December 21, 2002

 In the book of Revelation, we have one of the most mysterious of passages. Revelation chapter 17 describes the character known as The Beast, or in his more familiar title, the Antichrist: 

“The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is, and is not, and yet is. And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.” _1.

Using the layered approach to prophecy where we find more than one "layer" of identification, we see the 7 heads are Empires as well as individuals. The five that were fallen are the first five Empires that preceded the Empire in power at the time of the writing of the book of Revelation. Because John the Apostle wrote The Revelation Of Jesus Christ about 90 AD, it is a demonstrable fact that there were indeed five world empires that preceded the then reigning Roman Empire. These five Empires had already ceased to dominate world affairs. 

The five historical Empires I’m referring are all documented in Scripture, and each have the same common denominator -- an intense interaction with Israel. They are the Egyptian, Assyrian, Neo-Babylonian, Persian Union, and Grecian Empires. The Roman Empire was in full control of world affairs at the time of Jesus and the writing of the New Testament, so it represented the 6^th king — the one that “is” in the prophetic text. 

After the Roman Empire disintegrated, the temporal power associated with the Caesars shifted to an ecclesiastical power base in the form of the Popes, and the hierarchical structure of the Roman Catholic Church. When Revelation 17 says “five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come,” _2. it segregates the first six kings from the seventh. This is a hint that there could be a gap between the first six kings and the incarnation of the seventh king — or seventh Empire. 

I have repeatedly stated and written that the seventh King/Empire is associated with the national security state phase of America, for it is to continue for only a short time. In terms of sheer longevity, the ancient nations represented in the first six dominions are extremely old. 

Egypt has been around from almost the very beginning. While the Assyrian kingdom is gone, the people survive in the the nations of Syria, Iraq, and Iran. The Medes of the Persian Union have been traced to the Turkish Kurds, and the Persians are widely known to be Iran. Obviously, Greece is still a nation as is Italy, so all of these people go back thousands of years. The same cannot be said for America. 

Our nation is, at this writing, 226 years old. This is a very short period of time relative to virtually all the other nation/states in the world. I believe this helps to identify America as the seventh king/empire that “must continue a short space.” _3. Furthermore, as what is commonly called the sole remaining world superpower, America currently dominates world affairs in an unprecedented political, economic, and cultural sense. 

“The beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth...” _4. describes the final world Empire that will host the power of the Antichrist. As we have identified America as the seventh king, the eighth must follow America and be truly global in reach — even surpassing the power of the United States of America. While the blind guides continue to crow about the fictional "Revived Roman Empire," the conclusion that the United Nations fulfills the role of the eighth, and final Empire is inescapable for those with ears to hear.

The prophecy carries a couple of seeming contradictions with the mysterious way that it is phrased. Because we know that the “scripture cannot be broken,” _5. we know that the Word of God cannot contradict itself — therefore, the text is seeking to impart a very deep truth that requires “a mind which hath wisdom” _6. to understand. Even though the prophecy speaks of an eighth king, there are actually only seven. The text does say “...there are seven kings.” _7. Indeed, when the same verse says that “five have fallen and one is,” it states that the OTHER is not yet come. It did not say the others have not yet come. If there were two kings after the first six, the text should have used a plural term because the seventh and eighth kings would total two more. Instead, after the first six kingdoms are referred to, it says “the other is not yet come.” _8. 

It is clear that the eighth Empire must be associated with the previous seven for the prophecy states that the eighth king “is of the seven.” _9. Because America is the seventh Empire, if the eighth encompasses all of the previous seven, we have a solid description of a multi-national political entity in this verse. The United Nations counts among its members every single one of the previously mentioned seven nation states and peoples. Egypt is a member of the UN. Syria is a member, and so is Iraq. Persia, Greece, and Italy are members. Obviously, America is at the very center of power of the UN. 

The implication that the eighth Empire is not actually a distinct separate nation like the previous seven is also hinted at. Remember, the United Nations has no sovereign homeland or nation other than its member states. The prophecy clearly and succinctly indicates that the eighth king is actually composed “of the seven.”

But this is only the beginning of the incredible understanding imbedded in this wonderful book of the Bible. These passages also provide us with a series of statements that identify the nation that the Antichrist will come from, as well as enough evidence to reveal his actual identity. 

Back in the parallel prophetic book of Daniel, we get a brief glimpse of the spiritual battle that is going on behind the political empires of our temporal realm. In chapter ten, a powerful angel tells Daniel that he has been engaged in a continuing struggle with “...the prince of the kingdom of Persia (who) withstood me one and twenty days.” _10. Because the angels of God have more power than earthly rulers, it would seem that this “prince” of Persia that Daniel’s angel wrestled with is a dark spiritual entity in the employ of Lucifer and the legions of fallen angels that serve the Devil.

Later in the same chapter, this unnamed angel of God states that he will return to “fight with the prince of Persia.” _11. He further states that “...when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.” _12. In this most informative series of statements, we see the angel engaged in a battle that is so ferocious that he required the help of the great Archangel Michael in order to prevail against this prince. _13. 

In this very same passage, the angel refers to the “kings of Persia” as distinct from this “prince” he is in combat with, thereby providing an additional confirmation that this “prince” is a hostile angelic presence among the kings of Persia.  In fact, the Archangel Michael is also referred to as a prince in the very next verse. Because the angel also states that the “prince of Grecia shall come,” _14. it would seem that there is a specific Satanic personality at work seeking to influence the political leadership of each successive empire. It’s also worth noting that this verse provides us with precisely the sequential order confirmed by history as we know the Grecian empire replaced the Persian. 

It is extremely likely that the various Pharaohs, Kings, Emperors, and Caesars in charge of each successive world empire were closely aligned with the “rulers of the darkness of this world.” _15.  It is even possible that some of these earthly rulers were actually possessed or indwelled by these “angels which kept not their first estate.” _16. 

Actually, it’s easily established that many of the ancient cultures held their kings to be part man and part god, or sustained in their office through the will of the “gods.” The Pharaohs of Egypt and the Caesars of Rome were both widely held to be gods — indeed they proclaimed themselves as such. This pattern is seen in most of the Middle Eastern cultures including Babylon and Assyria. For example, the evil Syrian king Antiochus IV took the title Antiochus Epiphanes — which literally means god manifest. 

When one of the judgment angels of Revelation tells the Apostle John about “the beast that was, and is not, and yet is,” _17. he is definitely speaking about supernatural entities that have been manifested in a recurring role relative to the Empires of the age. Furthermore, these spirits are most certainly associated with the Devil and his angels for the beast is said to “...ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition.” _18. In other words, even though each of these various kings has come and gone, the spirit behind them continues. Thus it may be said the evil prince or evil angel behind the various thrones “...was, and is not, and yet is.” _19.  

The beast with seven heads passage also gives us a definitive clue relative to the ethnicity of the eighth and final head. Although some prophecy teachers say the Beast will be a Jew, there is not one verse in the Bible that even infers this. What the prophecy does state is he will somehow be “of the seven.” I take this to mean that he must be Egyptian, Syrian, Iraqi, Iranian, Grecian, Italian, or American, because those are the seven nationalities that correspond to the Empires that precede the eighth king. 

Because we have a number of other scriptural accounts that are descriptive of the Antichrist, we can narrow this list relatively quickly. For example, the Antichrist is thought be a great peacemaker that will evidently be trusted by the Jews (as well as the other nations) as they seek to negotiate a settlement  with their Islamic territorial rivals concerning the final status of Jerusalem. This immediately eliminates Iraq and Iran for both these states continue to be avowed enemies of Israel. 

The modern states of Greece and Italy have no standing in virtually any political negotiations or interaction between Israel and her Moslem opponents, so they would appear to be unlikely candidates. That would leave Egypt, Syria, or America as the most likely candidates. However, another prophecy in Daniel clearly seems to identify the Antichrist as the Little Horn that comes up out of the Middle Eastern territory occupied by the four generals that succeeded Alexander the Great. _20. 

If this passage in Daniel applies to the Antichrist, this geographic requirement would eliminate an American Antichrist — leaving Syria or Egypt as the only two possibilities for the nationality of the future son of perdition.

As I write this essay, the Syrian dictator Bashir Assad (the recently installed son of longtime brutal dictator Hafez-Al-Assad) continues to build military capabilities in what can only be characterized as preparations for yet another unprovoked attack on Israel. Concurrently, Egypt has enjoyed a state of peace with Israel for the last 25 years due to the Camp David accords pioneered by the late Anwar Sadat. Which of these two nations do you think is most likely to generate a great peacemaker that is trusted by Israel?

When one takes into account the fact that the entire plan of God’s final redemptive program through JESUS CHRIST was anticipated through the incredible series of miraculous confrontations we know as the Passover and the Exodus, we begin to see the office of Pharaoh is far more significant than previously thought. Pharaoh was the first of the so-called god-kings to exploit and oppress the ancient chosen people of the LORD. He was also the first to peacefully absorb the people of Israel into his ancient kingdom through the efforts of Joseph.

The devastating plagues that fell on Egypt but spared the Israelites in their midst provides a perfect picture of the Tribulation judgments. Moses and Aaron opposing the might of Pharaoh’s court clearly foreshadows the two witnesses of Revelation standing before the dominion of Antichrist. The blood on the door-posts beautifully signifies the safety of being under the blood of Jesus Christ. 

The Exodus is the finale that demonstrates how God will miraculously deliver his people from the final pursuit of Egypt and the power of the world. In short, the Antichrist is a modern day Pharaoh — an Egyptian — and because the United Nations is clearly the world government that has been prophesied to come to power in the last days, we look to the leadership of the UN for a Secretary-General that fits all of these criteria. There has only been one Secretary-General from the Middle East — the Egyptian Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali. 

In my previous works, I’ve unwaveringly stated my belief that Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the sixth Secretary-General of the United Nations actually IS the Antichrist. Writing in early 1992 in my book Beyond Babylon, I emphatically asserted that Ghali fits every prophetic expectation that I could find. Now, 10 years later, I see that the Revelation prophecy concerning the beast with seven heads has additional layers of fulfillment that I did not then see. 

Boutros-Ghali was the sixth Secretary-General of the UN. Surprisingly, after serving only one term as the head of the world body, he was precluded from a desired second term by a veto from the United States. The other members of the UN leadership so energetically supported a second term for Ghali, they even offered several compromises to the American government -- all to no avail. In humiliation, Ghali withdrew his candidacy, aborted his bid for re-election, and subsequently returned to Egypt. He now lives in Europe where he is the Secretary-General of the Francophone (French speaking) alliance of nations.  

As I write this essay, the 7^th Secretary-General, an African man named Kofi Annan, has been in power about 6 years. He is the Seventh king who “must continue a short space.” _21.  I believe this verse is telling us that Mr.Annan's term in the Secretary-General's office will be interrupted. I originally believed that this would happen during Annan's first term, but it is now clear that it is to occur in his 2nd term. I predict something will occur that will cause Mr. Annan to fail to complete his present term (his second) as the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

When Mr. Annan is removed from the office, almost certainly through his death, Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali will be returned as the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations. This will be the first time in history that a past leader of the UN will be returned to power. Furthermore, I believe that one of the other events that I've repeatedly predicted, the destruction of New York (as well as other significant portions of America), will be concurrent with the removal of Annan, and the return of Ghali. 

I have also repeatedly prophesied that the United Nations headquarters will be moved to Jerusalem. This reconfiguration of the world body will will occur as the result of the devastation and world crisis associated with World War III – and the beginning of the Tribulation. In order for this to occur, something must happen to change the position of the American leadership concerning Ghali, for our last president Bill Clinton, was Dr. Ghali’s primary obstacle to re-election. 

There is a fascinating possibility that portions of Daniel chapter 11 are referring to the first term, ouster, and political resurrection of Dr. Ghali: 

“...but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own. reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle. And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.” _22.  

In Daniel 11:18, the text refers to a prince that shall “cause the reproach offered by him to cease...” _23. The word reproach primarily means to blame, usually accompanied by a rebuke, in a humiliating fashion. History records that Dr.Ghali had discreetly blamed the United States leadership for our continuing failure to pay the agreed upon membership dues of the UN. For several years, the US has withheld payment of over a billion dollars — in an effort to pressure the UN to cut costs. This funding shortfall has created an administrative disaster as the UN keeps running out of money. 

We now know that Ghali privately reproached the Clinton administration for Clinton's failure to forward the promised financial  support of the UN — even though he had publicly promised to do so. The conflict between Ghali and Clinton reached a plateau just before the UN Security Council met to consider Ghali’s re-election to the office of Secretary-General. The `straw that broke the camel's back' came just before the election. According to the New York Times, “On November 9, for the only time in the half-century history of the UN, the US was itself dumped -- from the important panel of financial experts of the UN’s budgetary committee.” _24. This reproach of America in general and Clinton in particular, was absolutely unprecedented.

When Ghali formally came up for re-election, the Clinton administration then publicly reproached Dr.Ghali. Their excuse was his reputed failure to reform the financial structure of the enormous bureaucracy inherent in the global administration. The reproach of Ghali was such an affront that a New York Times article opined that Clinton and the US had “taken leave of common sense” with the “insult and humiliation” _25. of Dr. Ghali.

Daniel’s prophecy says “...a prince for his own behalf [Clinton] shall cause the reproach offered by him [Ghali] to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him.” _26. This likely refers to President Clinton’s public humiliation of Ghali after Ghali’s reproach of the American financial manipulation.

It is also interesting to see that this ‘prince’ does this for “his own behalf.” Bill Clinton is a political sociopath who is addicted to power and takes every reproach personally. He responded to all challenges with rancor and vindictiveness. The text then says “without his own reproach” he strikes back at his opponent. Here we see Clinton’s continued refusal to acknowledge his own part in the assorted UN policy failures — instead lashing out and blaming Ghali. 

The prophecy in Daniel says the successor to the one removed due to a reproach is referred to as “a raiser of taxes.” _27. This epithet is a strikingly accurate description of Kofi Annan, the present Secretary-General, for at one time he held the title of Budget Director for the United Nations. Indeed, a recent news item in the Washington Post states that Annan’s “top priority...(is) planning and executing a far-reaching reform of the world body.” _28. This stated goal provides an additional confirmation of the “reproach” of Ghali for his perceived failure to financially reform the UN. .  

In another recent article from the Associated Press Kofi Annan said “I hope...we will see a changed attitude and that the US will commit to paying its dues.” _29. At this point, the 185 member UN is almost bankrupt (along with the rest of the world) because of several member’s refusal to pay their back membership dues. The United States owes about $1.3 billion. It would seem that Annan is perfectly positioned to fulfill the prophecy by attempting to finalize a world support system to support the burgeoning bureaucracy that would administer the resources of the entire planet.

Because this aspect of Daniel’s prophecy seems to apply to Ghali’s successor, the 7^th Secretary-General, it is a further confirmation of his projected short lived (or interrupted) rule, for the very next phrase states “but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle.” _30. In short, this “raiser of taxes” won’t last very long.  

In Daniel 11:21 we arrive at the eighth king -- the one who is actually one of the previous seven. "And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.” _31. 

This verse further seems to follow the fact that Ghali was not given “the honour of the kingdom” in that he was rejected in the formal election for the post of Secretary-General. Because the verse says that he “shall stand up” in the estate or office of his predecessor, it may be hinting at Ghali volunteering to serve in some form of interim capacity in the wake of the sudden loss of Kofi Annan — as opposed to actually being re-elected to the post. This interpretation is further enhanced by the fact that he takes power “peaceably” and through “flatteries.” 

When the crisis brought about by the destruction of New York occurs, it will mandate a state of emergency and enable the martial law and tyrannical suspension of liberties that New World Order planners have surreptitiously sought for many years. Couple this with the fact that the military doctrine of most of America’s enemies has always been to execute a first strike when their enemy is in a temporary position of disarray, and you have the potential for a rapid slide into Apocalyptic chaos — in short, the beginning of the Tribulation. 

There is a further point of identification relative to the beast with seven heads. In Revelation the Apostle says “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.” _32. Could not this verse be referring to the political resurrection of Dr.Ghali?  

As of this writing, virtually no-one believes Dr.Ghali will be returned to office. In fact, it appears certain that his political career was mortally wounded by the reproach of the American president. He has just turned 80, he has been publicly humiliated, and another man holds the office he so desperately wanted to retain. In other words, this is a real long shot. If he did actually return to power against all the odds, the world would indeed “wonder.” 

The prophetic expectation that the Antichrist will literally receive a mortal head wound and be resurrected is tradition — not an established prophetic truth. After all, the text I’m writing about speaks of a seven-headed monster with 10 crowns — hardly something we can take literally. Furthermore, there is nothing to preclude a literal assassination once he does return to power. The strange turn of events that will bring him back simply presages his uncanny ability to “prosper till the indignation be accomplished.” _33.  

One final point should be stressed. Because it is extremely likely that the resurrection of Ghali’s political fortunes will coincide with a chaotic crisis, his return to power should signal the timing for the beginning of the Great Tribulation. This crisis could be the predicted global famine and/or the inevitable financial crash, but it is more likely that it's related to the inauguration of military hostilities in the Middle East.

Furthermore, because both passages relating to the seventh king in Revelation speak of his tenure as being very brief, these events will be upon is in a very short period of time. Remember, Revelation says “he must continue a short space” _34. while Daniel writes that “within few days he shall be destroyed.” _35.  A “short” space and a “few” days are relative terms, but clearly Kofi Annan cannot complete his present term as the 7^th head of the UN. The bottom line in this entire scenario is that the dominoes are being stacked up and large numbers of prophecies will be fulfilled in a very tight sequence of events.

This brings us to the actual timing. Regarding the son of perdition, Revelation tells us that “power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.” _36. One cannot help but wonder why the text did not simply say that `power was given to him for forty two months.' Indeed, the word “continue” is an additional witness to this understanding as it requires that the Beast previously held power. 

While the Rapture Cult tradition of a broken 7 year treaty with 42 months left in it is widely propagated, there is no scripture whatsoever to support that false prophetic expectation. What is in view is an abrupt change in power, wherein the prior head of the UN is reinstated for 42 months. At the end of June 2003, Kofi Annan, the 7^th head of the UN will have 42 months left to his term of office.

As we already believe the UN will be destroyed based upon the deadly wound that is scheduled to “wound” the “head” of the beast, and since we know the actual "beast" is the government, the "head" that is to be destroyed is New York. Thus, after the devastating strike on America, Dr.Ghali will be returned to office under a state of emergency to complete Kofi Annan's term (that will then have 42 months left) and re-establish the UN in another city. That city will be Jerusalem. 

 With this thought in mind, the time for the Remnant to make their preparations is fading fast — or to put it another way, “...the night cometh, when no man can work.” _37. Through the prophet Ezekiel The Lord speaks of this very time: 

“Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth? Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord God; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision...behold they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off. Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord God.” _39.

The days are indeed at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision is just around the corner.

 -- James Lloyd

FOOTNOTES 

1. Revelation 17:8,10,11 

2. Revelation 17:10 

3. ibid; the National Security Act began the 7th phase in 1947

4. Revelation 17:11 

5. John 10:35.

6. Rev 17:9 

7. Rev 17:10

8. ibid. 

9. Rev 17:11

10. Dan 10:13

11. Dan 10:20

12. ibid

13. ibid

14. ibid

15. Eph 6:12

16. Jude 1:6

17. Rev 17:8

18. ibid

19. ibid

20. Dan 8:9

21. Rev 17:10

22. Dan 11:18-21

23. Dan 11:18 

24. The No Win Gamble, A M Rosenthal, New York Times, 11/12/96

25. ibid

26. Dan 11:18

27 .Dan 11:20

28. UN Chief appoints Canadian to help with reform, Denver Post (from the

 Washington Post) 1/17/97

29. Secretary-General says some in Congress fear UN takeover, Associated

 Press, London Evening Observer, 2/10/97

30. Dan 11:20

31. Dan 11:21

32. Rev 13:3

33. Dan 11:36

34. Rev 17:10

35. Dan 11:20

36. Rev 13:5

37. John 9:4

38. Ezekiel 12:22,23,27,28

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