Who Is The Antichrist?

WHO IS THE ANTICHRIST?

For those who feel the need to explain that the end-times world dictator does not have the name antichrist and that the word “antichrist” only appears in the 1^st and 2^nd letters of John, let me say that I am fully aware of that information.  I use the word “antichrist” because it is the best known and most popular name by the majority of the world.

Who is the antichrist?  What are his characteristics; his personality; or his purpose?  When he makes his appearance:  people will be astounded (NET); will marvel (MLV); will be amazed (NLT); shall wonder (RHB).  The beast will apparently make a huge impression on the population of the earth.

Several theories have been presented as to why people will be astounded.

1. Because his initial military advances and destruction will be so impressive and have such a supernatural flair that people will say, “Who can make war against him.”

The arrival of the lawless one will be by Satan’s working with all kinds of miracles and signs and false wonders, and with every kind of evil deception directed against those who are perishing, because they found no place in their hearts for the truth so as to be saved.   (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 NET)

1. Because he was wounded to death and then appeared to return to life.  Rev 13:4  appears to indicate that people recognize the dragon (perhaps Satan) gives ruling authority to the beast

One of the beast’s heads appeared to have been killed, but the lethal wound had been healed. And the whole world followed the beast in amazement; they worshiped the dragon because he had given ruling authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast too, saying: “Who is like the beast?” and “Who is able to make war against him?”  (Revelation 13:3-4 NET)

1. Because he ascended from the bottomless pit (Hades, abyss, abode of the dead).  Will people know that he ascended from the bottomless pit?

The beast you saw was, and is not, but is about to come up from the abyss and then go to destruction. The inhabitants of the earth — all those whose names have not been written in the book of life since the foundation of the world — will be astounded when they see that the beast was, and is not, but is to come.  (Revelation 17:8 NET)

1. Because many people will recognize the identity of the beast who ascends from the bottomless pit (abyss).  Rev 17:8 appears to state that those names are not written in the book of life will understand the beast existed at one time, but then ceased to exist, but now is here again.  Of course, this scripture could just be the description of the beast as given by the angel to John and have nothing to do with human knowledge.

Scripture teaches that the beast existed at some point in time; during John’s vision, he was no longer alive; but the beast will exist again in the future by ascending from the abode of the dead or the bottomless pit.

There are two versions of the beast’s future appearance which will now be discussed.

THE VIEW OF CHRIS WHITE

The view of Chris White correlates with the Jewish beliefs of the “coming” Jewish messiah as two distinct individuals:  Messiah ben Joseph and Messiah ben David.  Ben Joseph will be the first appearance of a conquering warrior who will unite a global empire under his leadership.  He will then enter Israel and setup his palace and headquarters in Jerusalem.  Ben Joseph will then be killed by an Arab entity; after a short period of time he will be resurrected or ascend from the bottomless pit as messiah ben David.

Many of Mr. White’s details have been left out of the above synapsis, but one can find the majority of the story in my blog series, The Life and Times of the Antichrist Revelation Commentary or in Mr. White’s book, False Christ: Will the Antichrist Claim to be The Jewish Messiah.

Mr. White’s thesis would require the initial iteration of messiah ben Joseph to perform the beginning of his kingdom building by plucking up three of the ten horns by the roots prior to the 70^th week of Daniel.

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.  (Daniel 7:8 KJV)

He would then confirm the covenant with many; perhaps have the temple rebuilt at this point with the daily sacrifice enabled at the temple’s completion.  At this time he may pursue his world empire building:  Arab countries of the south, north, and others; areas around Israel; Egypt; Libya; Ethiopia; east; north.

And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.  (Daniel 11:40 KJV)

He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown……He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. …..and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy……. (Daniel 11:41-44 KJV)

At some point, the 10 horns or 10 kings of the final composite beast will give their power and authority to the beast, although I believe three of the horns are currently under the control of the beast (antichrist) by the words of Daniel 7:8.  The KJV word “plucked” literally means “humiliate”.  These three kingdoms are allied with the beast as one can see by the description of the composite beast of Revelation 13:  bear; lion; leopard.  These three animal parts of Revelation 13:2 are the same animals depicted in Daniel 7.

And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.  (Revelation 17:12-13 KJV)

Chris White’s messiah ben Joseph character will be killed at or before the midpoint of the 70^th week and ascend from the bottomless pit as the (perhaps) same person and become known as messiah ben David.  He will then halt the temple sacrifices; declare himself to be greater than “god”; and set up the abomination of desolation (statue or likeness of the beast) in or around the temple.

This scenario of Mr. White does correspond with the 7 kings/8 kings of Rev. 17:10-11.  The identity of the first 6 kings doesn’t matter:  messiah ben Joseph is the 7^th king; messiah ben David is the 8^th king and the resurrection of the 7^th king.  Therefore the beast is the 8^th king but is of the seven kings (or the 7^th to be exact).

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.  (Revelation 17:10-11 KJV)

To my knowledge, Chris White has made no prediction for the identity of the antichrist.

THE VIEW OF PETER GOODGAME

This view does not have a [ beast ]—[ dead beast ]—[ resurrected beast ] scenario.  It only has one beast that has ascended from the bottomless pit at the beginning of the 70^th week.  This would require the first 7 beasts of Revelation 17:10-11 to be dictator type individuals of the past.  In John’s view:  5 are dead; one is living (probably the Emperor Domitian. The seventh was still in the future and would be the precursor to the Antichrist (and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space).  This would leave the 8^th who is one of the dead seven.  Mr. Goodgame’s candidate is Nimrod/Asshur who was the first of the composite beast’s empire heads.

For more information concerning the “Composite Beast” see:  The Composite Beast

According to some historical documents the early tower builder and city founder named Nimrod had other names in his dealing with other cultures.  One of those additional names is Asshur, which according to Goodgame and Joel Richardson is many times translated as the Assyrian in the KJV in some occasions and in other versions as well.  Ezekiel documents that Asshur is currently in Sheol (the bottomless pit or the Abyss).

Asshur is there and all her company: his graves are about him: all of them slain, fallen by the sword:  (Ezekiel 32:22 KJV)

Two verses in Hosea state that due to Israel’s rejection of God, He will punish them as a lion, leopard, bear, and wild beast.  Note this animal imagery is the same as that of Daniel 7 and Revelation13.

Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them: I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.  (Hosea 13:7-8 KJV)

Mr. Goodgame gives the Septuagint version of Hosea as additional evidence.  He claims there was a reference to “Asshur” in the original Hebrew text:  the LXX translated to the plural form of “Asshur” rendering “Assyrians”; and as the verb form of shur (to observe) in the Masoretic Text which is the basic text for the KJV and others.

And I will be to them as a panther, and as a leopard. I will meet them by the way of the Assyrians, as a she-bear excited, and I will rend the caul of their heart, and the lions’ whelps of the thicket shall devour them there; the wild beasts of the field shall rend them in pieces.  (Hosea 13:7-8 LXX Brenton)

Peter Goodgame quote:  If we take a closer look at this text as we know it in modern Hebrew, and if we follow the lead of the Hebrew scribes who wrote the Septuagint, we arrive at the following translation:  “Therefore I will be unto them as a lion and as a leopard. I will meet them by way of Asshur. As an enraged bear that tears the caul of their heart there will I devour them like a lion. The wild beast of the field shall tear them.”

He claims by using the above Hebrew to English translation we arrive at:  it is through Asshur that God will ravage Israel as a lion, leopard and bear, and in the form of a wild beast. Asshur will be the king of the world’s final lion-leopard-bear-beast kingdom.

The Genesis scripture below, gives the names of cities founded by Nimrod. 

He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. (11) Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.  (Genesis 10:9-12 KJV)

Verse 11 claims that Asshur built Ninevah.  Asshur is listed as a son of Shem in verse 22.  Therefore Asshur, the son of Shem building Ninevah is out of context.  It is believed that Asshur is another name for Nimrod when he traveled north to build cities in the land that would become known as Assyria.

Peter Goodgame quote:  The KJV and Septuagint (LXX) translations of Genesis 10:11 give the impression that “Asshur” is an individual, but in most modern Bible versions “Asshur” is translated as “Assyria”—a place. They generally read, “From that land he (Nimrod) went to Assyria, where he built Ninevah…” The fact is that “Asshur” can be read either as an individual or as the region of Assyria—we just don’t know for sure and the text alone does not prove either case. However, because the name “Asshur” is not modified by the preposition el or the directional heh (thus giving either “el Asshur” or “Asshurah”), which would confirm “Asshur” as a place, it remains a distinct possibility that Asshur is meant to be understood as an individual and as another name for Nimrod.

Micah 5:6 links the land of Assyria (Asshur) with the land of Nimrod.  Young’s literal translation uses the word “Asshur” rather than Assyria.

And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders. (Micah 5:6 KJV)

And they have afflicted the land of Asshur with the sword, And the land of Nimrod at its openings, And he hath delivered from Asshur when he doth come into our land, And when he treadeth in our borders. (Micah 5:6 YLT)

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