An Exegesis of the Antichrist

EXEGESIS OF THE ANTICHRIST

5-24-2016

The word “antichrist” is only used by one Biblical writer, the apostle John, in only two New Testament books:  1 John and 2 John.  It is used only five times and one of the occurrences is given as a plural.  Since John is the person initiating the word “antichrist”, let’s see how he defines the term by investigating 1 John 2:18-23.

1 John 2:18-23 KJV  Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come (is coming), even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time (the last hour).  (19)  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not of us.  (20)  But ye have an unction (anointing) from the Holy One (Spirit), and ye know all things (the truth).  (21)  I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.  (22)  Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He (or This) is (the) antichrist, that (the one who) denieth the Father and the Son.  (23)  Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

John is saying the antichrist is coming or shall come.  However there are now many to be called antichrist(s).  They were, at one time, part of our group but they left because they were not actually one of us or believed as we believe.  If they had been one of us they most likely would have continued being a part of our group.

Because they left our group, they manifested themselves as not being one of us.  The one who denies that Jesus is the Christ and denies the Father and the Son is a liar and an antichrist.  If a person denies the Son of God that person does not have (worship, acknowledge) God the Father, but the person who acknowledges the Son also has (worships) God the Father

The primary thrust of John’s antichrist definition is found in verse 22:  He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.  In other words, the person who denies that Jesus is the Messiah (Christ) (Son of God) has also denied the Father as well.  One cannot worship God the Father if that person denies or rejects Jesus as the Son of God.

In John’s day, those who denied that Jesus was the Messiah but claimed to be worshipping the God of the Old Testament was an antichrist which would include all Jews continuing their temple sacrifices.  However, John is saying that the one who rejects the Son of God also rejects the Father.

According to John, some of these antichrist people were at one time a part of the group but a separation had occurred.  The religious leaders rejected Christ and had Him crucified.  Jesus was the rightful Heir to the throne of David through the specter dominion promise given to Judah from Jacob.  Denying the King of the throne of David they rejected their tribal linage of Judah although they continued to refer to themselves as Judahites or Jews.  By stating in his letter that “it is the last time or hour” John expected an even greater return to Judaism manifested in the last days.

From Who Is Antichrist 09/02/2014  by Dr. Stephen Jones

NOTE:  All indented paragraphs are quotes by Dr. Jones from the above article (other than scripture verses)

John’s definition of the term “antichrist” would have been understood in his day to be directed at those who called themselves Judahites (“Jews”), claiming to worship the Father, but who had actually rejected the Father by rejecting the Son. John makes it clear that it is not possible to worship the Father while rejecting the Son. To contradict John’s inspired writing is to support the antichrist agenda.

There are hints in Paul’s letter that Christians were attempting to return to Judaism with the thought that Jesus could be added to the temple rituals for a better religion.  However, Paul clarifies that a combination of the Old and New Covenants cannot be mixed.  The Old Covenant is represented by Hagar, a bond woman of the flesh and the New Covenant is represented by Sarah, a woman of the promise.  Only the children of Sarah can be inheritors of the promises of God in the New Covenant.

The Pope and John Hagee, an evangelist, have both stated that Jews have no need for Jesus and the New Covenant because they still have the promises of God of the Old Covenant.  However, they are both completely wrong.  The Khazarians and other assorted Jews despise Jesus.  They claim He is the son of a Roman soldier and a prostitute and when he died he was sent to hell where He is currently boiling in excrement.  They are definitely antichrists.  There will not be a mass repentance of Khazarian Jews at the return of Jesus and they will not be the ambassadors of God ruling the world during the Millennium.

The Koran denies that God has a son and Jesus is considered merely a prophet.  I could be wrong but to my current understanding, the Jehovah Witnesses consider Jesus as a type of angel created by God and not the Son of God.  Some people involved in the Hebrew Roots movement may also have some issues.  The world is currently filled with various types of antichrists.  Will there eventually be one antichrist world leader who is referred to as the “Beast”?

The word “antichrist” consists of two Greek words:  anti and christos.  The Greek word “anti” is defined as “in place of”.  It is in the sense that someone completely replaces another.  It is a usurper not an assistant, who occasionally assumes the duties of the general manager.  In John’s terminology of “antichrist” the Jewish leadership had usurped the throne of the true King or Jesus Christ.  They were ruling the affairs in the place of Christ as antichrists.

Ignatius, 30-107 AD was a contemporary of John and the bishop of Antiochin.  He claimed to have witnessed the resurrected Christ when he was a small child.  In his Epistle to the Philadelphians he wrote:

“If anyone preaches the one God of the law and the prophets, but denies Christ to be the Son of God, he is a liar, even as also is his father the devil, and is a Jew falsely so-called, being possessed of mere carnal circumcision.”

Ignatius refers to the writings of Paul when he wrote, “and is a Jew falsely so-called” where Paul stated that a Jew is an inward manifestation and not an outward one as in circumcision:

Romans 2:28-29 KJV  For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:  (29)  But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Paul speaks of two separate entities in this 2^nd Thessalonians letter.  The apostasia which the KJV translates as “falling away”.  Some versions translate as “rebellion” and some exegetes claim it should be translated as “casting away”.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 KJV  (3)  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away (apostasia) first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;  (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.

Regardless of one’s opinion, it appears that Paul is placing this event in the future, specifically to the “day of the Lord” after the apostasia takes place and the man of lawlessness is exposed, who has usurped the throne of Christ in the temple.

The above paragraph brings up other issues, such as:  (1) is the man of lawlessness the antichrist or beast?; (2) is the temple the faith of a Christian or a rebuilt stone temple in Jerusalem?

There is debate whether the beast of Revelation 13 et al is the same as the commonly accepted word “antichrist” and also, if the beast is a man, an empire, or both.  Most prophecy students (and most of the civilized world) have been conditioned (perhaps brainwashed) to think of the beast as the antichrist or a person who will sit in some future Jewish temple and declare himself to be “god”.  Of course, an empire must have a leader and the beast concept could be related to both.  Although it could be said that ancient Persia was a beast as prophesied by Daniel but Cyrus is not known as a beast.  As a matter of fact, most people aren’t even aware that Cyrus was the King of Persia.

The “man of sin, the son of perdition” was originally the title given to Judas who betrayed Jesus.  Next we have the Pharisees who managed to have Jesus crucified and then sit on the throne of the rightful King as if they were the king of the Judahites.  It could also be said the Khazarians and the Edomites living in Israel continue to rule as if they are kings of the kingdom due to their illegal confiscation of the words Israel and Jew, because they are not Judahites (or Semites except for the Edomites) and they have no privilege to call themselves Israel because they are not of the ten tribes of Israel and did not receive the birthright promise from Jacob.

However, according to Paul’s writing it appears there will or possibly could be another or future “man of sin”, and can be called the antichrist or the beast, depending on one’s perception.  The old Scofield and Dallas Theological School people still think it will be a revived Roman Empire.  It was been leaked by B. Fulford and Veteran’s Today that Germany, under Merkel, has drawn up plans for an EU army, but will it ever gain real teeth?  The issues of Brexit and now a possible Frexit hinted at by Marine Le Pen could pare the EU down to ten nations if there is time for the problems to be resolved.

Some exegetes, such as Joel Richardson, Walid Shoebat, and others foresee an Islamic beast.  A relatively unknown Michael Fortner has written a series of books claiming the beast to be an upcoming new Ottoman Empire possibly under the authority of Erdogan and Turkey. 

Some foresee the antichrist as a Roman (or European), or a Jew (possibly from the tribe of Dan), or an Arab of Islamic fame.  Of course the Pope/Vatican duo have been represented as practically everything:  the antichrist, the beast, and the false prophet.  Let’s don’t forget the layman issues of practically every USA president particularly Obama as the antichrist candidate.

It is my opinion that when the “man of sin” and “son of perdition” appear (if one does) then almost everyone will be totally shocked because most will be wrong.

The Antichrist Destroyed

2 Thessalonians 2:7-8 KJV  (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:

For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work:  only when the Lord God who is now allowing this to happen will continue to allow until it is time for the evil figs (Jeremiah 24) to be removed or cast aside.  And then the lawless wicked entity will be unveiled who shall be consumed (slain) by the Lord with the spirit (breath) of His mouth and bring to destruction at the brightness of His appearance.

Many Christians (and perhaps others) are expecting a Scofield rapture which supposedly will take them to heaven before the so-called seven years of tribulation begin.  They imagine themselves sitting around in a huge mansion while they sing songs and play harps while everyone else is trying to avoid being beheaded and surviving without taking the mark of the beast.  Won’t they be surprised when the wrath of God begins and their blessed Zionist Jews (who are not real Jews or Israel) are destroyed, and the Mystery Babylon of Khazarian banking is meted a final destruction.

It is my opinion that a small portion of believers called the “overcomers” will experience a transformation of the body into a Glorified one as described by Paul and the kingdom of the world will become the Kingdom of God with Jesus as King and the overcomers as governors.