In Daniel 7, we see the key events in the Lord’s plan.
Daniel 7:7-8, “After this, while I was watching in the night visions, suddenly a fourth beast appeared, frightening and dreadful, and incredibly strong, with large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and it trampled with its feet whatever was left. It was different from all the beasts before it, and it had ten horns. While I was considering the horns, suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. And suddenly in this horn there were eyes like the eyes of a human and a mouth that was speaking arrogantly.”
We can see the growth and dominating influence of a small horn among ten other horns. We discovered that this 11th horn represents a person with dynamic leadership ability and power who will become the last world dictator. We would be wise to supplement our knowledge of him with relevant information from these passages. This will give us a more complete picture of the terrible events that will precede Christ’s millennial reign of peace and prosperity.
A comforting truth is that before the Great Tribulation and the rise of the Antichrist, the Lord will remove all believers from the earth.
Several biblical passages bear out this truth, but two are significant.
Revelation 3:10, “Because you have kept my command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth.”
The Greek word translated as “keep from” means to preserve something outside the sphere of something else.
Jesus is telling the Christians of the Philadelphian church that He will protect them from the worldwide testing by keeping them away from it. The hour of testing Jesus is referring to is the Tribulation, a 7-year time span of severe, divine judgment that is described in Revelation 6-19.
In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians believers, he explains how the Lord will remove His people before the rest of the world experiences this awesome outpouring of God’s wrath.
1 Thessalonians 4:14-17, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For we say this to you by a word from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”
This event is commonly referred to as the rapture. Once it occurs, only unbelievers will be left on earth to experience divine judgment, and believers, will revel with joy as we commune with Jesus in heaven. Although, non-Christians find no pleasure in this prediction.
If you were to read books about the End Times and listen to sermons on biblical prophecy, you would find some general misconceptions about the Antichrist. Let’s look at a more accurate picture of who is the Antichrist.
Information about the Antichrist:
- He will be wanted, not rejected
Throughout time, people have followed evil men and women who made promises to give them what they wanted. This kind of blind selfish devotion has led countries to experience political, economic, and religious deterioration. In such turmoil, false messiahs have historically gained popular approval that they might not have otherwise had. It is likely that the Antichrist’s rise to power will come during a time when people are longing for deliverance from tumultuous days.
- He will be appealing, not repulsive
Although the Antichrist will have a spiteful, beast like nature. He will not be beastly in appearance. Nor will he be offensive in conduct-at least not initially. Instead, he will have an uncanny charisma that will win people over to his side.
- He will be extraordinary, not ordinary
He will have the practical skill of the best of our leaders, the inspirational power of a Winston Churchill, the determination of Joseph Stalin, the vision of Karl Marx, the respectability of Mother Teresa, the military prowess of the greatest generals and the genius of King Solomon. In addition, he will be empowered by Satan, and his incredible capabilities will be used against God’s people.
- He will be a gentile, not a Jew
Daniel 7 indicates that the antichrist will come from the divided Roman Empire, which is Gentile in origin. With this as a bit of context, let’s dig into the scriptures.
What does the Bible teach about the Antichrist?
- He will come to power out of the natural flow of events
Daniel 7 tells us that the final world dictator will rise to power out of the natural flow of events. That is, the stage will be set for him to put his insidious plan for world domination into motion. This opportunity will occur shortly after the rapture of the church. Listen, his religious position will not be secret.
Daniel 7:24-25, “The ten horns are ten kings who will rise from this kingdom. Another king, different from the previous ones, will rise after them and subdue three kings. He will speak words against the Most High and oppress the holy ones of the Most High. He will intend to change religious festivals and laws, and the holy ones will be handed over to him for a time, times, and half a time.”
- He will not rise to power until after the apostasy
Paul writes to the church at Thessalonica to settle worries the believers had concerning the second advent of Christ. These Christians had heard that the Lord had already returned to rule over the nations.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, “Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him: We ask you, brothers and sisters, not to be easily upset or troubled, either by a prophecy or by a message or by a letter supposedly from us, alleging that the day of the Lord has come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.”
Paul is informing them that His return will not occur until the apostasy comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed. In this context, the term apostasy refers to a period in which the world will make a dramatic turn away from God’s standards and hate His Word.
- He will come from the revived Roman Empire
Revelation 13:1-2, “And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads. On its horns were ten crowns, and on its heads were blasphemous names. The beast I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority.”
This passage identifies the antichrist as the ruler of the revived Roman Empire.
Revelation 17:7, “Then the angel said to me, “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast, with the seven heads and the ten horns, that carries her.”
Daniel 7:7-8, “After this, while I was watching in the night visions, suddenly a fourth beast appeared, frightening and dreadful, and incredibly strong, with large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and it trampled with its feet whatever was left. It was different from all the beasts before it, and it had ten horns. “While I was considering the horns, suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. And suddenly in this horn there were eyes like the eyes of a human and a mouth that was speaking arrogantly.”
Many of the characteristics of the Greek, Medo-Persian and Babylonian empires will be evident in him and his rule. But he will not be humanly or divinely empowered. The test says that the source of his power, prestige, and authority will be the dragon, that is Satan himself. At some point before his ultimate height of power, the antichrist will receive a mortal wound. But instead of dying from the injury, he will be miraculously healed by Satan.
This seemingly supernatural event will amaze the people of the world and prompt them to follow the antichrist.
Revelation 13: 3, “One of its heads appeared to be fatally wounded, but its fatal wound was healed. The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast.”
The Bible says that the people will worship Satan
Revelation 13:4, “They worshiped the dragon because he gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to wage war against him?”
This wicked ruler will have an accomplice, a false prophet who will also operate with Satanic authority and support the worship and rule of the antichrist.
Revelation 13:11-14, “Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast on its behalf and compels the earth and those who live on it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. It also performs great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in front of people. It deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs that it is permitted to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.”
Anyone who refuses to bow down to the image will be killed. The antichrist’s conspirator, the false prophet, will demand that everyone receive the mark. The mark will either be the name of the beast or the number of his name.
Revelation 13:16-18, “And it makes everyone — small and great, rich and poor, free and slave — to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark: the beast’s name or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: Let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, because it is the number of a person. Its number is 666.”
The best interpretation of this is that the number 6 is one less than perfect number 7, and the threefold repetition of the six would indicate that for all their pretentions to deity, Satan, and the two beasts were just creatures and not Creator.
- He will be dethroned at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ
The dethronement and demise of the antichrist and false prophet will occur at the Second Coming of Christ. When the world dictator, the nation’s leaders, and their military forces are assembled at Armageddon to fight against Christ and His army, the Lord will capture the Antichrist and his false prophet and throw them alive into the lake of fire.
Revelation 1:19-20, “Then I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and against his army. But the beast was taken prisoner, and along with it the false prophet, who had performed the signs in its presence. He deceived those who accepted the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image with these signs. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.”
Certainly, many of the events described in these passages are horrible, but if we are trusting Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we need not expect them with fear. Afterall, He will take all Christians to be with Him prior to the Tribulation and the antichrist’s ascension to power.
The Lord commands us to stay alert in our spiritual walk as we watch for His imminent return to rapture the Church.
Matthew 25:13, “Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.”
Three Things You Can Do to Stay Watchful
- Watch the news with your eyes on the Middle East.
- Interpret current events with your minds on prophetic truth.
- Anticipate Christ’s return with your hearts on the Lord’s promise—the rapture of the Church
Pastor Chris Williams
To learn more about Pastor Chris and his teaching, visit us on the web at fcfamily.org and make sure you subscribe to receive these weekly encouragements in your inbox.
