Understanding the Antichrist

SetFree

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1 John 2:18
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.
KJV


A while back, I heard a preacher teaching that the meaning of that word "antichrist" has nothing to do with a singular false one coming in the last days. I say that idea is completely away from what Apostle John said above. There are 2 antichrist phrases in the above verse, not one. The 1st antichrist example is singular in tense with just the word "antichrist". The 2nd example is plural with "many antichrists".

The phrase, "... and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come,..." also marks that John was pointing to a singular false one in that first example. Where... did they already hear that singular antichrist shall come? How did they 'already' know that part?

John 14:30
30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me.
KJV


That above is Lord Jesus speaking to His disciples just prior to the time of His being delivered up to be crucified. He tells them that 'hereafter', meaning after His delivering up and crucifixion, the devil will come and has nothing to do with Christ. That is how those had already heard that "antichrist" shall come, Lord Jesus pointing directly to Satan. One may find the detail of Satan's casting out of the heavenly dimension with his angels down to this earth in the Revelation 12:7-17 Scripture, which contains pointers to the very end.


Who are the "many antichrists" then, that John also mentioned? This singular antichrist, and the many antichrists idea by John appears in Scripture given by Lord Jesus, by Apostle Paul, and by Apostle John in Christ's Book of Revelation.

1st Example:
In Matthew 24:5, Lord Jesus warns us that 'many' will come in His name, saying "I am Christ." That's the "many antichrists" idea. And we've had plenty of those down through the centuries, and several just in my lifetime.

But in the Matthew 24:23-26 Scripture, even though the KJV translation translates Greek pseudochristos as "false Christs", the context of those verses are actually singular, about a single false-Messiah that will appear in Jerusalem in a temple there, and work great signs and wonders that IF it were possible, would deceive even Christ's very elect.

What's the difference then? The "many antichrists" are simply wanna-a-be followers, and can't do those 'great signs and wonders' that the singular false-Messiah will do to deceive the whole world with. So there's both examples of John's "antichrist" idea.


2nd Example:
Apostle Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2, also gave this antichrist contrast. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 he warns of a false one coming that will sit in the temple of God (in a new temple in Jerusalem), and play God. And he will work all power, signs and lying wonders (just like the pseudo-Christ of Matthew 24:23-26). That's the singular "antichrist".

Then in 2 Thessalonians 2:7, Paul points to the "mystery of iniquity" already being at work. There he is pointing to the "many antichrists" idea that John also showed were already at work. The "many antichrists" is about the "workers of iniquity" that began even back in Old Testament times, followers of the Antichrist.


3rd Example:
Then in Revelation 13, Apostle John reveals the singular "antichrist" with the "another beast" that is to come working great wonders, and rain fire from heaven down to the earth in the sight of men, and deceive by the power of miracles he is given to do.

So don't allow any man to steal from you our Lord Jesus' and His Apostle's warnings about a coming false-Christ that will actually try to play God, and will have the power to work great signs and wonders, and rain fire down from heaven to the earth, in order to deceive the whole world. The Revelation 13:4-8 Scripture also reveals this coming false one with that kind of power to deceive that no flesh man has ever had before. And there the Scripture is pointing to the whole world worshiping the "dragon", so don't be deceived, for this is pointing to a supernatural being filling that false-Messiah role in Jerusalem, not some flesh pope or pulpit preacher.
 
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