The Antichrist and his kingdom

And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. 27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.” Daniel 9:26b,27

Who is the Antichrist[1]? Among those once considered include, Nero, Napoleon, Hitler, Juan Carlos of Spain and Ronald Reagan. What qualifies a person to be the Antichrist? The message about an “Antichrist” predates the church. Old Testament scripture clearly teaches about a period of tribulation for Israel before the Kingdom of Messiah[2]. Who is the person who inaugurates this period? What is the government behind this tribulation period? What will happen during this period on the Earth? This leads to two important questions in understanding the End-times;

Prior to the tribulation period Israel would be reestablished in the land of Israel. Several scriptures link the restoration of physical Israel, immediately before this period. Jeremiah specifically links this unique period of tribulation to an ingathering of the Jewish people from the nations.[3]

1The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2“Thus speaks the Lord God of Israel, saying: ‘Write in a book for yourself all the words that I have spoken to you. 3‘For behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,’ says the Lord. ‘And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.’ …… So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins Like a woman in labor, And all faces turned pale? 7Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, But he shall be saved out of it. 8 ‘For it shall come to pass in that day,’ Says the Lord of hosts, ‘That I will break his yoke from your neck, And will burst your bonds; Foreigners shall no more enslave them. 9But they shall serve the Lord their God, And David their king, Whom I will raise up for them. 10‘Therefore do not fear, O My servant Jacob,’ says the Lord, Jeremiah 30:1-10

In Jeremiah, chapters 30 to 33, God reassures Jeremiah of the permanence of his covenant relationship with Israel, despite the severity of the temporary judgments by Babylon on Jerusalem. God assured Jeremiah of a future gathering and of his people back to the land. The Lord also revealed a period of tribulation would occur, Jeremiah calls this period “the time of Jacob’s trouble”. This period is so unique and unequalled, he says “None is like it” (Jeremiah 30;7). Israel, however survives the tribulation, enters the kingdom of Messiah, and serves under a resurrected King David. The description of a resurrected David, demonstrates the time talked about is a future event to be followed by resurrection. Before Israel gets to this point of God’s blessing, they will go through a period of unequalled tribulation. The description of this period disqualifies any period in past, making it a unique future event. Daniel confirms Jeremiah description of this unique time is and links the resurrection to this time.¹“

At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book. ²And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:1-3

2. “a time of trouble…such as never since there was a nation” (The tribulation period)

Jesus also qualifies this period of tribulation as unique and distinct, unequalled in the history of the world. This time is so unique that never before in history was there a time like this nor shall there ever be a time in the future to equal it again. This period of tribulation is Daniel’s 70^th Week.

²¹“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. Matthew 24:21

The kingdom and king surrounding this tribulation period is the “Antichrist” and his kingdom. He leads the charge against God and against Israel, prior the Messianic Kingdom. The most detailed information about this coming “World leader” and his kingdom is in the books of Daniel and Revelation. In Daniel chapter 7, we read about this coming kingdom and king.

²³“Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast shall be A fourth kingdom on earth, Which shall be different from all other kingdoms,

And shall devour the whole earth, Trample it and break it in pieces. ²⁴ ………And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, And shall subdue three kings. ²⁵He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time[4].

Daniel learns from an angel the meaning of his vision. He explains to Daniel, the appearance of a unique kingdom on the earth, different from all previous kingdoms. This future kingdom and king will speak against the God of Israel, and kill those who worship Him, for 3.5-years. This is the same king and kingdom is in the book of Revelation, known as the Beast.

¹Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea,…² …..The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. ³And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. ⁴So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” ⁵And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. ⁶Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven

The Seventy-Weeks of Daniel tells us several important facts about this coming world leader. He is identified as the “The prince who is to come” and he is a descendent of the “People” who destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the Temple.

And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary Daniel 9:26b

Through the use of military force, the prince to come establishes Israel’s right to Temple sacrifice and worship. We know this because he breaks this agreement by stopping sacrifice and offering in the middle of the week.

In order for Israel to establish Temple sacrifice, the Dome of the Rock must be removed causing worldwide conflict against Israel. Only an ally of Israel would guarantee (Confirm) the right of Temple sacrifice over the will of 1.3 billion Muslims.

⁴So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”Revelation 13:4 .

³⁹Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain.Daniel 11:39

⁷“After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts Daniel 7:7

¹⁹And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Revelation 19:19

²¹“I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them,

He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute^£ the saints of the Most High,

And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand

⁷It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every ^£tribe, tongue, and nation. ⁸All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. ⁹If anyone has an ear, let him hear. ¹⁰He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. ¹⁵He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

⁵Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? ⁶And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. ⁷For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains willdo so until He is taken out of the way. ⁸And then the lawless one will be revealed, 2 Thessalonians 2:5-8

⁸And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 2 Thessalonians 2:8

²⁰Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. ²¹And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.

⁴⁴Andin the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. ⁴⁵Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. Daniel 2:44-45

¹¹“I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame.

²¹“I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, ²²until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.Dan 7:11,21-22

⁷And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, ⁸but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. ⁹So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Revelation 12:7-9

³And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. ¹⁴And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. Revelation 13:3,7

Shall persecute^£ the saints of the Most High,And shall intend to change times and law.Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time. Daniel 7:25

But in the middle of the weekHe shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,Even until the consummation, which is determined,Is poured out on the desolate.” Daniel 9:27

¹¹“And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days.Daniel 12;11

⁵And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to ^£continue for forty-two months. Revelation 13:6

⁸“I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, wereeyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words. …¹¹“I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking.. the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows. Daniel 7:8,11b,20b

⁵And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. ⁶Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. Revelation 13:5-6

³⁷“He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. ³⁸“But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things.³⁹“Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain. Daniel 11:37-39

⁴who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God2 Thessalonians 2:4

¹⁵“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), Matthew 24:15

¹⁴And he deceives ^£those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. ¹⁵He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. Revelation 13:14-15

³⁶“Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. Daniel 11:36

he sits ^£as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 2 Thessalonians 2:4

⁹The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, ¹⁰and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. ¹¹And for this reason God will send themstrong delusion, that they should believe the lie, ¹²that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

¹¹Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. ¹²And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. ¹³He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.¹⁴And he deceives ^£those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. Revelation 13:11-14

⁸All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Revelation 13:8

¹²Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. ¹³And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. ¹⁴For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Revelation 16:12-15

⁴¹Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron,the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay.

⁴²Andas the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.⁴³As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. Daniel 2:41-43.

.⁴⁰And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. Daniel 2:40

“After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. Daniel 7:7

³And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. ⁴So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”⁸All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Revelation 13:3-4,8

¹⁶He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, ¹⁷and that no one may buy or sell except one who has ^£the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.¹⁸Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. Revelation 13:16-18

²³“Thus he said:‘ The fourth beast shall be A fourth kingdom on earth, Which shall be different from all other kingdoms, And shall devour the whole earth, Trample it and break it in pieces.²⁴ The ten horns are ten kings Who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; Daniel 7:23-24

12 "The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast.

13 "These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.

14 "These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful." . Revelation 17:12-14

The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. Revelation 13:5

⁵Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. ⁶And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. ⁷“Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” Luke 4:5-7

Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, And your spoil will be divided in your midst.

²For I will gather all the nations to battle againstJerusalem; The city shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished.Half of the city shall go into captivity,Zechariah 14:1-2

¹⁵“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’^£ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), ¹⁶“then let those who are inJudea flee to the mountains. Matthew 24:15-16

²And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!...¹⁸“and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like this great city?’ ¹⁹“They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.’ .. “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore. Revelation 18:2,18-19

¹²And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem:

Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet,Their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets,And their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths.¹³ It shall come to pass in that day That a great panic from the LORD will be among them. Zechariah 14:12-13

¹⁹And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. ²⁰Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. Revelation 19:19-20

⁵Then the angel who talked with me came out and said to me, “Lift your eyes now, and see what this is that goes forth.” ⁶So I asked, “What is it?” And he said, “It is a basket that is going forth.” He also said, “This is their resemblance throughout the earth: ⁷“Here is a lead disc lifted up, and thisis a woman sitting inside the basket”; ⁸then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he thrust her down into the basket, and threw the lead cover over its mouth. ⁹Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were two women, coming with the wind in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven. ¹⁰So I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they carrying the basket?” ¹¹And he said to me, “To build a house for it in the land of Shinar; when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its base.” Zechariah 5:5-11

[1] [1] ajntivcristoßAntichristos The word is only used 4 times in scripture (1 John 2:8, 1 John 2;22, 1 John 4:3, 2 John 1:7) The term applies to the Anti Messiah, the one who in the end leads the world against the Messiah, who will establish the kingdom of God.

[2] Messiah is the Hebrew word which is translated Christ in the Greek language.

[3] (See Joel 3:1-2, Isaiah 14:1-3,Micah 5:3-4, Jeremiah 30:1-7)

[4] The 3.5-year period is the 2^nd half of the seven-year period known as Daniel’s 70^th Week. This period is of is referred to in several ways. 1. 1260 days (360x 3.5=1260) Revelation 11:3,12:6, 2. 42-months is used in Revelation 11:2, 13:5 3. Time, times and half a time is in Revelation 12:14, Daniel 7:25, 12:7 4. Middle of the week= 3.5 years is Daniel 9:27