Scripture:
- 2 Thessalonians 2:3 “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”
People have many imaginations regarding the Antichrist: young, charismatic, beloved by the world; some say he is a political genius, others say he is homosexual. Most of these claims drift away from the Bible, perhaps originating from movies, pop culture, or mere human speculation. However, if we return to the Scriptures, you might be surprised to find that the Bible actually provides a vast amount of description regarding the Antichrist.
In Eden, God said to Adam: “But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2:17). God always tells us in advance so that we will not be deceived into following the wrong path. May you once again touch God’s unchanging love for us.
I. The Identity and Origin of the Antichrist
1. He is the leader of Babylon the Great
“…I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.” (Revelation 17:3)
“And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns…” (Revelation 13:1)
The woman here is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth—the mysterious Babylon the Great. She rides the beast; the beast represents the system headed by the Antichrist. Babylon the Great relies on this system, and the Antichrist is the representative of this system.
2. His National Identity: A Gentile
This is a long-standing debate in eschatology, with different traditions providing different answers.
(1) Arguments and scriptures supporting the view that the Antichrist is Jewish:
- Supporting Scripture: John 5:43 Jesus said: “If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.”
Reasoning: The Jews rejected the true Christ but will accept a false messiah, implying the Antichrist will be accepted by Israel as the Messiah; thus, he must be Jewish.
My counter-argument: Those whom the Jews accept are not necessarily Jewish. For example, Cyrus the Great is the only Gentile king in the Bible called “His anointed”: “This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him…” (Isaiah 45:1). “Anointed” in Hebrew is מָשִׁיחַ (Mashiach), meaning Messiah. The Jews accepted Cyrus, yet he was not Jewish. - Supporting Scripture: Daniel 11:37: “He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors.”
Reasoning: “Gods of his ancestors” suggests a Jewish background.
My counter-argument: Scholars generally agree that Daniel 11 has dual or progressive layers of fulfillment. 11:21-35 was historically fulfilled by Antiochus IV Epiphanes (c. 175-164 BC), widely seen as a “type” of the Antichrist. 11:36-45 points to the end-time Antichrist. Antiochus IV, the historical prototype, was a Syrian-Greek of Macedonian descent, not a Jew. This reason actually points toward a Gentile identity. - Supporting Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 “…the man of lawlessness… sets himself up in God’s temple.”
Reasoning: Entering the temple to claim divinity seems more logical for a Jew.
My counter-argument: This assumes only a Jew would enter the temple. However, the Antichrist is the “man of lawlessness” (2 Thess 2:8); the law does not bind him. Again, Antiochus IV is a ready example: he entered the temple, set up idols, and sacrificed a pig, yet he was not Jewish. Therefore, entering the temple does not prove Jewish identity.
(2) Reasons for the Antichrist being a Gentile:
- Daniel 9:26 mentions that “the people of the prince who is to come” will destroy the city. Many commentators believe this refers to the Romans; thus, the Antichrist comes from the descendants of the Roman Empire (the West or Europe).
- The beast in Revelation 13 comes out of the “sea.” In biblical symbolism, the “sea” often represents the Gentile nations.
3. He is called the “Little Horn”
In Daniel, the Antichrist is called the “little horn.” This term can refer to an animal’s horn or a horn used as a musical instrument (the early version of a trumpet).
4. He is called the “Man of Sin” and the “Man of Lawlessness”
“And then the lawless one will be revealed…” (2 Thessalonians 2:8)
The Antichrist is a lawless person. Lawlessness is not just about breaking laws; it is about believing oneself to be above all laws. Richard Nixon’s famous 1977 interview quote is quite fitting: “When the president does it, that means that it is not illegal.”
II. The Character, Essence, and Appearance of the Antichrist
5. He comes in his own name and is accepted: Exalting and manifesting his own name
6. His mouth is like a lion’s; he is arrogant and boastful
“He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior…” (Daniel 8:25)
“The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself… for he will magnify himself above all.” (Daniel 11:36-37)
“This horn had eyes like the eyes of a human being and a mouth that spoke boastfully.” (Daniel 7:8)
“The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months.” (Revelation 13:5)
7. He is a contemptible person
This describes Antiochus IV, the perfect type of the Antichrist. Contrary to the popular belief that the Antichrist will be beloved and charismatic, the Bible says he is actually “contemptible”—meaning lacking in nobility and decency, vulgar, rude, and repulsive.
8. He denies the Father and the Son
9. He throws truth to the ground
10. He honors a “God of Fortresses”
The Antichrist will use gold, silver, and precious things to honor a god of security and power. Sun gods in various cultures are often associated with light, power, and order (e.g., Apollo). Perhaps in the Antichrist’s residence, amidst the gold and splendor, traces of the sun god may be seen.
11. He loves money
While 1 Timothy 6:10 is not a direct description of the Antichrist, the Bible says the love of money is the root of all evil, and the Antichrist is the culmination of all evil. A love for money and wealth permeates all his characteristics; it is the core of his character.
12. He is closely associated with gold (666)
“The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents.” (1 Kings 10:14; 2 Chronicles 9:13)
Revelation links 666 to the Antichrist. The only other place 666 appears in the Bible refers to the gold Solomon received annually—”coincidentally” 666 talents. Solomon was obsessed with gold, having hundreds of hammered gold shields and only gold drinking vessels. The color of gold resembles the sun; in alchemy, gold’s corresponding planet is the sun. Interestingly, Solomon’s decline began early with foreign marriages (1 Kings 3:1). He received the 666 talents at the peak of his reign. The root of his fall was planted long before his old age.
13. He masquerades as an angel of light
For Christians, this “angel of light” masquerade may include: appearing friendly toward the Bible, promoting certain biblical teachings, or being friendly toward Christians and Jews.
14. His appearance is more stout/prominent than his fellows
III. The Speech and Actions of the Antichrist
15. He is revealed through the rebellion (apostasy)
16. He acts deceitfully
“He will cause deceit to prosper through his cunning…” (Daniel 8:25)
17. He understands “dark sayings”: Cunning speech with multiple interpretations
18. He does as he pleases and prospers
“It threw truth to the ground, and it practiced and prospered.” (Daniel 8:12)
“He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding destruction and will succeed in whatever he does.” (Daniel 8:24)
19. Reciprocity: Using profit to entice people
20. He attacks God and eventually claims to be God
“The king will do as he pleases… He will say unheard-of things against the God of gods.” (Daniel 11:36)
“He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all.” (Daniel 11:37)
“He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:4)
Some use Daniel 11:37 to claim the Antichrist is homosexual because he has no regard for the “one desired by women.” Note the text says he disregards the God desired by women, not that he dislikes women.
21. He will cause the whole world to follow him in wonder
22. He receives power from the dragon and is unstoppable
There have been many antichrists in history, each possessing some of these traits. However, the “Man of Sin” at the end of the age is unique because he possesses all these characteristics.
If the previous analysis of the Timeline is approximately correct, it leads to an intriguing question: The Antichrist may already exist and be active on the world stage, exerting influence. Yet, for most people, he is not easily identified.
If he were easily recognized before sitting in the temple claiming to be God, that moment could hardly happen. This raises a deeper question: Is he “unrecognizable” because he is intentionally hiding, or for a more profound reason?
The fundamental issue may not be whether he is hiding, but how people discern. In Genesis, there were two trees: the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Tree of Life asks only one question: “Is this from God?” But since the fall, man discerns based on his own understanding of good and evil, results, or benefits. This root is not life.
The Bible warns that Satan masquerades as an angel of light. It is easier to be alert when a lion roars than when deception appears as “righteousness.” Discerning what is from God cannot be based merely on whether something looks “good” or “beneficial.” Our safety lies not in judging “right and wrong” more accurately, but in abiding in Christ and living by the principle of the Tree of Life: asking, “Is this from God?”
The purpose of this article is not to point out who the Antichrist is, but to encourage you to be watchful. If you have already decided in your heart that a certain person absolutely cannot be the Antichrist, this article may not help you. For whenever a person fixes their own position before receiving God’s light, they have already fallen into darkness.
May God have mercy!