What does the Bible say about the Antichrist?

About the Antichrist

The Antichrist is the opposite of Christ. Just as Christ came to earth to do God’s will; the Antichrist will come to do the will of Satan. He will be Satan manifest in the form of man.

Satan’s whole ambition is to be like God in power and might, and he works for this with all of his might, night and day. “Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:4. His intention is to replace God, and he will send the Antichrist as a means to do this. The Antichrist will deny mankind’s necessity for God, and assert himself as ruler of this world.

But what kind of a world would be willing to accept the emissary of Satan as Lord? Is it possible that this world we live in now has come to such a state?

The thought of the end times doesn't have to evoke fear in us. Listen to this podcast about how we can best prepare ourselves for the day when we meet Jesus!

The spirit of Antichrist

The prevailing spirit in the world is the spirit of Antichrist, which has been working since the earliest days of the church. (1 John 4) The spirit of Antichrist can be summed up as every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. It alleges that Jesus had something that we don’t have, that He was divine, that He didn’t have lusts and desires as a natural man, and therefore, He couldn’t actually sin.

But if we believe what’s written in the Word of God, He had the same flesh and blood that we have.

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same.” Hebrews 2:14.

He had the same lusts and desires, which caused Him to be tempted, and He had to fight to keep from sinning. He had the Holy Spirit to guide Him, and strength and help from His Father in heaven. Because of His life, He made the same available to us, and therefore we are able to follow Him on the way that He opened up through the flesh and back to the Father.

That means we have to put in the same effort, take up the same battle that He did, fight against the sin that we have in our human nature as a result of the fall in the Garden of Eden. Most people aren’t willing to do that. And that’s how the the Antichrist spirit gets power. It shows people an easier way.

Also read: The spirit of the Antichrist: Denying that Jesus came in the flesh

The separation of God and mankind

Sin is the cause of separation between God and mankind. When sin is put off, we are unified with God. The spirit of Antichrist allows the sins that separate us from God to live by covering them with tolerance, "love", and freedom. God’s word clearly states what is right and wrong, what is sinful and what is pure. But when enough people live in sin, for instance adultery, it is no longer considered sin. God’s laws are rejected, and the laws of society, and eventually even the laws of the nations, change to accommodate this adjusted view of what is right and wrong.

So impurity and sin are allowed to live, and mankind grows farther and farther away from God – which is exactly Satan’s intention. The majority of the world has given over to this spirit, because it allows them to live comfortably, without a guilty conscience. This has been done under the covering of religion, and forgiveness of sin without ceasing from sin, in the past. However, in the times we live in now, humanism is more and more taking over the role that religion used to play. Mankind is more and more reliant on itself and being governed by itself, rather than being led by any “higher power.”

Also read: What is sin?

The revelation of the Antichrist

All of this is paving the way for the Antichrist himself to appear and get rid of any pretence of religion. He will do away with God altogether. He will perform signs and wonders to prove to the world once and for all that mankind is self-sufficient. (Revelation 13:13-14)

Mankind is ready to embrace just such a person. Someone who does not interfere with their comfortable lives – who will be a force outside themselves to realize their thoughts and dreams of peace and harmony on earth; a world of tolerance, love, and goodwill, without any personal cost to themselves. And the Antichrist will be able to accomplish this.

The name of Antichrist has been synonymous with evil down through the ages, but the truth is that when he is finally revealed, the majority of people will not recognize him as the Antichrist. He will not appear repellent; on the contrary, he will be someone who is talented, and ambitious to solve the world’s problems. He will advance what is already in the process of becoming a reality; that the world can become a paradise of man’s own making, without God. The world will believe that with the Antichrist at the helm, mankind can accomplish anything.

“Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.” Revelation 13:6.

When that happens then Satan will finally have what he has always wanted. He will be seen as equal to God. He will have control of a world that has no need for God.

The bride of Christ

But there are those who have not and will not reject the gospel of Christ; those who are interested in being finished with the sin that they see lies in them, in order to be unified with God. These will not be deceived, because for them, sin is exceedingly sinful. (Romans 7:13) Because they have been extremely watchful and awake to any spirit that tolerates sin, they will be allowed to see the Antichrist being revealed; they will see him for who he is.

When this happens, they can expect Christ to return to take His bride home to be with Him. Once they have been raptured, and are receiving the reward of their faithfulness, the Antichrist will have free reign. (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7) This will be a terrible time on the earth. The true, evil nature of the Antichrist will be revealed. When things have become as bad as they can be, when the need is greatest, Christ will return again with His bride.

Then He will consume the Antichrist with the breath of His mouth, and the world will see how powerless the Antichrist really is. Jesus will take control of the kingdoms of the earth, Satan will be bound and cast into the bottomless pit, and the earth will experience one thousand years to learn how right, just, true, and good God’s perfect will is, free from the deceit of the devil. And those who kept themselves pure from the spirit of the Antichrist and have faithfully followed their beloved Jesus in the footsteps He laid down for them, will live and reign with Christ in this Millennium. (Revelation 20) Theirs will be the kingdom of heaven, forevermore!