By Pastor Jeff
Whenever the subject of the antichrist comes up it brings with it much confusion as most people and many religious leaders attempt to put a name to it. Throughout history many have been labeled as not only an antichrist but “Thee Antichrist” that we believe will be in power at the end of this present world. Nero, Napoleon, Adolf Hitler, Martin Luther, some of the popes, and even our present president Barak Obama as well as most likely the future president will be identified as “The Antichrist”.
The bible tells us what is the antichrist, 1John 2:18, “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.” vs. 22, “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.” So we immediately see that there was many who could be described as an antichrist and that this antichrist is a liar and someone who denies not only the deity of Jesus but also his humanity.
The meaning of the antichrist is simply, “against Christ”, but even though the term “antichrist” is primary just mentioned in the epistles of John, all through the word we can find his description. In the book of Daniel chapter seven, he is described as the “little horn” who will uproot three of the ten horns in the beast. Chapter nine calls him a prince who will establish a seven-year covenant with the nation Israel. Daniel 11:27 calls him a “vile person”. in the same chapter verses 36-37, “And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all”
He is called the man of sin, man of lawlessness, and the son of perdition in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12. In the book of Revelations he is called the beast in chapter eleven as well as chapter thirteen which goes on to tell as that he will be wounded in the head worshipped as he recovers from this wound, he speaks proudly and blasphemies God, wages war against the saints, does great wonders and miracles, gives power to an image, and will eventually cause all to worship and receive a mark in their forehead or right hand.
So how can resist being caught up in the trap of falling under the power of this antichrist, 1John 4:1-3, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 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.” We must love truth and be in tuned to the Spirit of God in order to keep us from being caught up in all the misleading information that is being put out there today. Keep close to Jesus Christ and you will NEVER be mislead by the millions of false prophets and their messages!
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Janesville Apostolic Ministries 