People have many imaginings about the Antichrist: young, charismatic, and widely beloved by the world; some say he is a political genius, others that he is homosexual. Most of these claims stray far from Scripture — perhaps drawn from films, perhaps from popular culture, or perhaps from mere human speculation. But if we return to the Bible, you may be surprised — for Scripture actually gives us a wealth of description about the Antichrist.
May you once again be touched by God’s unchanging love for us. In the Garden of Eden, He 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 warns us in advance, so that we will not be deceived by him, nor follow him down the path of destruction.
I. The Identity and Origin of the Antichrist
1. He is the ruler of Babylon the Great
“The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:18)
…a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. (Revelation 17:3)
The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. (Revelation 13:1)
The woman here is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth — the mystery, Babylon the Great. She rides on 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 ethnic identity — a Gentile
This is a long-debated question in eschatology, with different answers from different interpretive traditions.
(1) Arguments for the Antichrist being Jewish
- John 5:43 — Jesus said, “I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.” The Jews rejected the true Christ but would accept one who claims to be the Messiah, suggesting the Antichrist would be accepted by Israel as the Messiah.
However, those accepted by the Jewish people are not necessarily Jewish. For example, Cyrus the Great is the only Gentile king in Scripture to be called “anointed”: “This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of…” (Isaiah 45:1). The word “anointed” in Hebrew is מָשִׁיחַ (Mashiach), meaning: the Anointed One / Messiah. The Jewish people generally held Cyrus in high esteem and regarded him positively — yet Cyrus was not Jewish. - Daniel 11:37 — “He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors” — some interpreters believe “the gods of his ancestors” implies a Jewish background.
However, scholars generally recognize that Daniel 11 has a dual or progressive fulfillment: 11:21–35 was historically fulfilled in Antiochus IV Epiphanes (c. 175–164 BC), while 11:36–45 points to the end-times Antichrist. The historical prototype of verse 37, Antiochus IV, was a Syrian Greek — a descendant of the Macedonian Greeks — and was not Jewish. This argument, put forward to support the Antichrist being Jewish, actually points in the opposite direction. - To stand in the temple and declare himself to be God (2 Thessalonians 2:4), and to be accepted by Israel as the Messiah, a Jewish identity seems more logical.
However, as noted above, Cyrus was called Messiah by the Jewish people — yet Cyrus was a Gentile. Furthermore, this argument rests on the premise that “only a Jew can enter the temple, therefore only a Jew can declare himself God in the temple.” But the Antichrist is precisely “the man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:8) — the law places no constraint on him whatsoever. Antiochus IV stands as a ready example: he entered the temple, set up an idol within it, and sacrificed a pig — yet he was not Jewish. Therefore, the ability to enter the temple cannot be used to argue for a Jewish identity.
(2) Arguments for the Antichrist being a Gentile
- Daniel 9:26 refers to “the people of the ruler who will come” destroying the holy city. Many interpreters take this to refer to the Romans, and therefore conclude that the Antichrist will come from the descendants of the Roman Empire — that is, the West or Europe.
- In Revelation 13, the beast rises out of the “sea” — in the symbolic framework of Scripture, the “sea” commonly represents the Gentile nations.
- Historically, many have identified the Antichrist with Roman emperors or with a future leader of a revived Roman Empire.
3. He is called the “little horn”
“While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a human being and a mouth that spoke boastfully.” (Daniel 7:8)
The Antichrist is called the “little horn” in the book of Daniel. The word “horn” can refer on one hand to an animal’s horn; and on the other hand to a horn made from an animal’s horn — an early version of the modern trumpet.
4. He is called the man of sin and the man of lawlessness
Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of sin is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. (2 Thessalonians 2:3)
And then the lawless one will be revealed… (2 Thessalonians 2:8)
The Antichrist is a lawless man. Being lawless does not simply mean being a lawbreaker — it means being a man who considers himself above all law. Richard Nixon made a now-famous remark in a 1977 television interview that captures this perfectly: “When the president does it, that means that it is not illegal.”
II. The Character, Nature, and Appearance of the Antichrist
5. He comes in his own name and is accepted — exalting his own name, making his own name known
“I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.” (John 5:43)
6. His mouth is like a lion’s — arrogant and boastful
The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. (Revelation 13:2)
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 above every god… He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed.” (Daniel 11:36–37)
“…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
“He will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue.” (Daniel 11:21)
This describes Antiochus IV Epiphanes (one of the kings of the North), who is a complete foreshadowing of the Antichrist. Contrary to the popular notion that the Antichrist will be welcomed and highly charismatic, Scripture says he is actually a contemptible person — lacking dignity and decency, crude, coarse, and repulsive.
8. He denies the Father and the Son
“Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist — denying the Father and the Son.” (1 John 2:22)
9. He throws truth to the ground
…It threw truth to the ground and prospered in whatever it did. (Daniel 8:12)
10. He honors the god of fortresses
“Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his ancestors he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts.” (Daniel 11:38)
The Antichrist will honor the god of fortresses and strength with gold, silver, precious stones, and things that bring pleasure. The sun god is typically associated across cultures with light, power, life, and order — one of the more well-known examples being Apollo in Greek and Roman mythology. Perhaps in the Antichrist’s estate, amid its gold and grandeur, traces of the sun god can be found.
11. He loves money
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:10)
1 Timothy 6:10 is not itself a direct description of the Antichrist, but Scripture calls the love of money the root of all kinds of evil — and the Antichrist is the one in whom all evil finds its fullest expression. Looking at all his characteristics, the love of money and wealth runs throughout, forming the core of his character.
12. He is closely associated with gold (666)
“This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.” (Revelation 13:18)
The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents. (1 Kings 10:14; 2 Chronicles 9:13)
Revelation’s 666 refers to the Antichrist. Elsewhere in Scripture, 666 appears in reference to the gold Solomon received in a single year — “exactly” 666 talents. Solomon was obsessed with gold: he had hundreds of shields made of hammered gold, and all his drinking vessels were made of gold. Gold’s color and luster closely resemble the sun, and being imperishable, the ancients naturally linked the two as expressions of the same “eternal, pure, and divine” power. In alchemical tradition, gold corresponds to the sun — a symbolic system that has persisted for thousands of years.
It is worth noting that Solomon began taking foreign wives from the very early years of his reign — 1 Kings 3:1 records that the first wife he took was Pharaoh’s daughter. And the collection of 666 talents of gold did not happen in his old age, but during the height of his reign. Scripture says, “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods” — but the root of his downfall had already been planted long before. Old age was simply when the fruit ripened.
Revelation says 666 is the number of a man. As to whether this requires calculating the numerical value of a name, readers are invited to seek God on that themselves. What is worth pondering is this: the other time 666 appears in Scripture, it is the gold Solomon received in a year.
13. He disguises himself as an angel of light
…for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness… (2 Corinthians 11:14–15)
For Christians, the disguise of an “angel of light” includes at least: appearing friendly toward Scripture, toward certain biblical teachings, toward Christians, and toward the Jewish people.
14. His appearance is more imposing than his peers
…this horn… had a mouth that spoke boastfully and that looked more imposing than the others. (Daniel 7:20)
III. The Words and Ways of the Antichrist
15. He is revealed through the great apostasy
“Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of sin is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3)
16. He operates through deception
“After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully…” (Daniel 11:23)
“He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior…” (Daniel 8:25)
Deception is not merely an occasional tool for him — it is the very core of how he operates.
17. He understands dark sayings — his words are crafted so that the same statement can carry multiple meanings
“In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise.” (Daniel 8:23)
18. He does whatever he pleases and prospers
“The king will do as he pleases… He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place.” (Daniel 11:36)
It…threw truth to the ground and succeeded in whatever it did. (Daniel 8:12)
“He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does.” (Daniel 8:24)
The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. (Revelation 13:5)
19. He rewards those who submit to him — giving glory in exchange for allegiance
…He will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price. (Daniel 11:39)
20. He attacks God and ultimately declares himself to be God
“…he will rise up against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.” (Daniel 8:25)
“The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and 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)
21. He will cause the whole world to marvel and follow him
One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. (Revelation 13:3)
22. He is empowered by the dragon — and none can stand against him
People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?” (Revelation 13:4)
— ✦ —
Throughout history there have been many antichrists, each bearing some of the characteristics described above. But the great sinner of the last days — the Antichrist — will be different from all of them, for this Antichrist will embody every one of these characteristics.
If the analysis of the end-times timeline elsewhere on this site is broadly correct, it raises a thought-provoking question: the Antichrist may already exist in the world, active on the world stage, exerting his influence — yet for most people, he is not easy to identify.
If people could easily recognize him before he sits in the temple and declares himself God, that moment would be very difficult to actually bring about. This raises another question: why does he appear “unrecognizable”? Is it because he is deliberately hiding — or is there a deeper reason?
If his full revelation is believed to occur at a point not far off, it seems unlikely that he would still be in a state of complete concealment right now. Perhaps the more fundamental issue is not whether he is hiding, but that the very way human beings discern has been set on a wrong path — ever since what is recorded in Genesis.
In Genesis, there were two trees: the tree of life, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The tree of life raises only one question: “Is this from God?” The Lord Jesus said while on earth: “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.” Yet in Adam, humanity ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. From that moment on, the very foundation of human discernment was shifted off course.
People no longer ask: “Is this from God?” Instead, they begin to evaluate everything by their own understanding of “good and evil,” by the “results” things produce, by whether something is “beneficial.” The reasons people give may vary enormously — many of them even appear quite spiritual — but the source has already determined the outcome. Judgment that flows from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, however reasonable it may appear, does not ultimately come from life.
Scripture reminds us that Satan does not only prowl like a roaring lion — he also masquerades as an angel of light. When he roars, people are more easily on guard; but when he appears in the form of light, the danger is far greater. This leads us to recognize that discerning whether something is from God cannot rest solely on whether it appears good or evil, or on whether it produces results. As Paul wrote: “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness.” (2 Corinthians 11:14–15)
Their end, Paul says, will be what their actions deserve. But in the present moment, what people can see is not the end — only the actions themselves. And when the actions themselves are the actions of one “masquerading as a servant of righteousness,” how reliable can discernment based on those actions alone really be?
Perhaps, then, our safety does not lie in becoming ever more precise in our judgments of “right and wrong, good and evil,” but in abiding in Christ — always living by the principle of the tree of life: not first asking whether something looks good or bad, whether it produces results, whether it is beneficial, but asking — does it truly come from God?
The purpose of this article is not to identify for you who the Antichrist is — and so the citations and analysis here are constrained by that purpose. But this is not a theoretical article for learning about the Antichrist. Rather, it is the hope that through all the Scripture passages cited and the restrained analysis offered, God would continue to add to the watchfulness He has already graciously given you.
If you have already settled in your heart that a certain person could never possibly be the Antichrist, this article may have little to offer you. For in whatever matter a person takes a position before receiving God’s light, in that matter he has already entered the darkness.
May God have mercy!