CHAPTER ONE

THE CHARACTER OF THE ANTICHRIST

As we have already stated, we believe that the Antichrist is a real person—an individual, as opposed to a system, for all of the things that are said of him are predicable of one individual person, and many of them cannot be understood otherwise. For the first several centuries of this era, it was never otherwise suggested but that the Antichrist was to be a person, but during the darkness of the middle ages it began to be set forth that the Antichrist was a religious system, and most commonly, the Papacy.

It is to be feared that the belief that the Antichrist was a system arose from a tendency to interpret Scripture by historical events, instead of judging the events solely by the Scriptures to determine if they were the fulfillment of prophecy. While viewing the great corruptions in the Church of Rome, those that were more devout recognized the antichristian character of all of Rome’s pretensions. And they soon came to account this the complete fulfillment of prophecy concerning the Antichrist, instead of recognizing this as simply a fore-view and forerunner of the real Antichrist and his system. There is always the danger that we shall interpret the Scriptures in the light of historical events, instead of interpreting historical events by the use of the Scriptures. The following, though rather lengthy, is appropriate to this.
 

Taking the Bible as our guide, it really seems strange that any other idea should be entertained of him. All the passages referring to the Man of Sin, his character, his acting and his end, with one accord proclaim him to be an individual man. All the attributes, circumstances, as well as appellations of individual humanity, are addressed and ascribed to him. He is distinctly called and declared to be a man, "the Man of Sin," (2 Thess. 2:3) which of itself, and in the absence of any positive contradiction to it elsewhere in Scripture, ought to be conclusive. Or, if not, it is difficult to know on what principle we are to understand the Bible, and arrive at fixed conclusions at all about its meaning. In Rev. 13:18, again he is called a man: "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred three-score and six." Also he is called "the son of perdition" (2 Thess. 2:3); and so was Judas, but Judas was a man, and the natural inference is, that such also will be his antitype. John says (I John 2:18), "Ye have heard that Antichrist (or, as it ought to be rendered, the Antichrist) shall come, even now there are many Antichrists." But who were these many antichrists? Who but men—Christ-denying, ungodly men—but men! And who, then or what would be the Antichrist yet to come, but a man too? But, in fact, that Antichrist would be an individual man was never questioned in the first and purer ages of the church; no other opinion then obtained or existed on the matter. The idea of a power or system, or even series of individuals, being symbolized by "the Man of Sin" was utterly unknown. This sprang up in after ages, not from clearer understanding or closer investigation of the prophetic word, but from straining the prophetic word to meet the circumstances of the times.—Milyneux, The Coming Man Of Sin, quoted by J. R. Graves in The Seven Dispensations, pp. 430-431.

The climax of the misery of the last days is attained in the appearing of the Antichrist, whom the prophetic word leads us to expect. The reference to the rise and development of this expectation must be left by Christian Dogmatics to the Biblical Theology of the Old and the New Testament. Here it can only be said, that for him who interprets the Scriptures without preconceived views, and allows his thoughts to be brought into captivity to the obedience of the Word, there can be no doubt that a personal Antichrist will yet arise before the close of the world’s history. The idea that by the name of the Antichrist is denoted simply an ideal personality—something after the same manner in which the English character is wont to be represented, concentrated in the name of John Bull, or the German in that of Michel—appears to us to be in diametrical opposition to the concrete and individual nature of the Apostolic description.—J. J. van Oosterzee, Christian Dogmatics, p. 796.

That the Antichrist is a person and not a system is certain because the Jews will accept him as their Messiah, yet they have always looked for a man to fulfill that hope, and they could never be persuaded to accept any system as their Messiah. The theory that the Antichrist is a system of some kind is about as un-Jewish as one can get.

So many of the titles that are given to the Antichrist in Scripture emphasizes the fact of him being a person. For he is called "the MAN of sin," the SON of perdition," "The bloody and deceitful MAN," "The PRINCE of Israel," the PRINCE that shall come," and many other such titles that are incomprehensible except on the assumption that they refer to a specific individual.

Believing as we must that the things declared of the Antichrist require that he be recognized as an individual person, we proceed from this standpoint and consider—

I. THE ORIGIN OF THE ANTICHRIST.

By this we mean to deal with the Antichrist as a person, and inquire of his background, and one of the first things that must be considered is his nationality. While the Scriptures do not specifically so state, yet there is strong indication that he will be a

Jew by birth, for in this way only will he ever be able to find acceptance with the Jews. It was decreed early in Israel’s history that she was never to choose to rule over her any but one of her own people. “Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother,” Deut. 17:15. Throughout all of their history the Jews have been a very clannish people, and it is contrary to the national characteristics to think of them ever choosing one to rule over them that was not one of them. Not only because of this national clannishness, but also because they have been persecuted by so many other people, they have a natural suspicion of any one not a Jew. So that it is all but certain that they would never choose one to be their ruler except he was a Jew.

In Ezek. 21:25 the Antichrist is presented to us as “Profane, wicked Prince of Israel,” which makes it evident that he shall rule over Israel at some stage in his career, and this presumes his Jewish nationality. But even more to the point is the statement of our Lord in John 5:43. “I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.” This anticipates the Jews’ acceptance of the Antichrist in the latter days, but the point that we wish to make is in connection with the word “another.” In the New Testament two Greek words are translated “another.” The Greek word heteros means another of a radically different kind, while the Greek word allos signifies another of the same kind. Paul uses both of these in Gal. 1:6-7 in a play on words that is not obvious in the English version. They are used in contrast. The point is, however, that our Lord Jesus used the second of these in John 5:43, thus pointing up the fact that the Antichrist when he comes on the scene and is accepted of the Jews, will be like Christ in some aspects. We believe that this likeness will be in his Jewish origin.

Dan. 11:37 is highly suggestive of the Antichrist’s Jewish origin, for the phrase “the God of his fathers” is distinctively Jewish, being seldom if ever used except in this way. But Nahum decides the matter when he records of the Antichrist that “There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the Lord, a wicked counsellor,” Nahum 1:11. This can be none other than the Antichrist, and the meaning can be nothing but that he is a Jew. Early Christians believed that the Antichrist would be of the tribe of Dan.

But as almost everyone knows the Jews have been scattered to the four corners of the globe, and are found in almost every nation under heaven, so that we are still unsure of even the region from which the Antichrist arises. Here, though, we are not left in the dark, for his origin is even more specifically revealed. “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary,” Dan. 9:26. The “prince that shall come” is here set in antithesis to the Messiah, and so can be none other than the Antichrist. But the “people of the prince that shall come,” who destroyed the city of Jerusalem and its Temple in 70 A. D. were the Romans, so that the Anti­christ must arise from some part of the old Roman Empire. Both in Daniel and in Revelation the Antichrist is seen to rise from a ten kingdom alliance in which he overcomes three of the kings, Dan. 7:7-8, 23-25; Rev. 17:8-18. Are these ten kingdoms, the latter three of which he overcomes in his rise to power the nations listed in Ezek. 38 and in Isa. 19? In Dan. 7 this ten kingdom form is an outgrowth of the fourth world kingdom upon the earth, represented in the vision by the fourth beast. These four world kingdoms are clearly identified historically as first, the Babylonian kingdom, Dan. 2:36-43, second, the Medo-Persian kingdom, Dan. 8:20, third, the Greco-Macedonian kingdom under Alexander the Great, and then later under his four generals, Dan. 8:21- 22. And finally the fourth kingdom is the Roman Empire, the only world kingdom that ever followed these other three, Dan. 7:7-9, 23-24.
 
This kingdom will be, we believe, the old Roman Empire revived in its fmal form, and divided into two great halves—the Eastern and the Western. This fourth kingdom will include within itself all the territory and will perpetuate all the dominant characteristics of the other three which have preceded it, i. e., the Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, and the Grecian. Turning now to Dan. 7:8 we are told, “I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn.” The Anti-christ, then, will have his rise within the limits of the old Roman Empire. This narrows considerably our circle of inquiry.—A. W. Pink, The Anti­christ, p. 94.


But though we learn that the Antichrist will be a Jew by birth, and will originate in one of the countries that was in the old Roman Empire, we still do not know specifically what he will be nationally. And so we are made to look yet further into the origin of this one. In Dan. 8:9 some think that we have a hint of this. “And out of one of them (i. e., out of one of the four divisions of Alexander the Great’s empire) came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south and toward the east and toward the pleasant land.” The immediate reference here is to Antiochus Epiphanes who fell heir to one of the divisions of the Grecian Empire. He has been termed “The First Anti­christ,” or the “Old Testament Antichrist” inasmuch as he did so many things that are prophesied that this last Antichrist will do, including making a covenant with the Jews, then breaking the covenant, persecuting the Jews and desecrating the Temple at Jerusalem. However, we must remember that this verse applies primarily to Antiochus Epiphanes and only secondarily and typically to the final Antichrist. The one direction toward which this little horn does not wax great is north, and so it is assumed that this is the direction from which he comes. In the case of Antiochus Epiphanes this is true, for he was ruler over Syria. In Dan. 11 reference is made repeated to the “king of the north” which is apparently in reference to Antiochus Epiphanes, until later in the chapter when the reference is to the end time and to the final Antichrist. In any case, it seems certain that both typically and prophetically the Antichrist is shown to be from the north of Palestine.

Some believe that the Antichrist will arise out of Assyria, and probably be born in the vicinity of ancient Babylon, the place of the original systematic rebellion against God under Nimrod. However, a man coming from this region could never be called “the king of the north,” for this region is almost due east of the land of Israel.

There is, however, another possibility as to the origin of the Antichrist that completely harmonizes geographically, chronologically and prophetically with the things said in the Book of Daniel. There is a marvelous prophetic section in Ezekiel chapters 37-39 in which are to be noted the following things. (1) It deals with the re-gathering of Israel to her own land, 37:12. (2) The nation will be united as one nation at that time, 37:22. (3) It will be immediately before the time when the true Messiah is received by them, 37:24-28. In “the latter days,” 38:16. (4) At this time, Gog, the ruler of the land of Magog shall come against Israel, 38: 1ff. (5) This one is said to come upon Israel from “thy place Out of the north parts,” 38:15. (6) This one is he of whom the prophets have spoken in old time, 38:17. (7) This one will set upon Israel after deceitfully pretending to be at peace with them, 38:10-12. (8) A great catastrophic judgment will then fall upon him and his armies, 38:18-23. (9) This will result in a great feast for the fowls of the heavens, 39:2-5; Rev. 16:16-21. And is not the invitation of 39: 17-20 the same as that recorded in Rev. 19:17-19, which is the destruction of the Antichrist and all his armies? (10) This is the time when Israel shall have the spirit of grace poured upon them, 39:29; Zech. 12:10.

These and many other things that are parallel with otter prophecies of the Antichrist cannot be ignored nor counted as coincidences, but must be recognized as supplementary information concerning the Antichrist. Now the question is, in what way does this further identify the Antichrist as to his origin? First, let it be noted that Ezek. 38:2 may also be translated: “Son of man, set they face against Gog, the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal.” Magog was the second son of Japheth, and is generally conceded to have settled in that which was known in modern times as southern Russia (Georgian S. S. R.). Josephus says:
 

Japhet, the son of Noah, bad seven sons: they inhabited so, that, beginning at the mountains of Taurus and Amanus, they proceeded along Asia, as far as the river Tanais, and along Europe to Cadiz; and settling themselves on the lands which they might light upon, which none had inhabited before, they called the nations by their own names. For Gomer founded those whom the Greeks now call Galatians (Galls), but were then called Gomerites. Magog founded those that from him were named Magogites, but who are by the Greeks called Scythians.”— Antiquities of the Jews, Book I, chapter VI.


In harmony with this is the fact that this Gog of the land of Magog, is also denominated the Prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, which is nothing else than the ancient names of the Russian cities of Rostov, Moscow and Tbilisi. All three of which are in a straight line pointing almost directly south to Israel. In fact, if one came as due south from Moscow as possible, he would pass only a few miles to the west of Jerusalem.

Therefore this passage points up the fact that the Antichrist is to be a Russian born Jew that comes to power by dealing deceitfully until he overthrows three other rulers (something that is by no means uncommon in many lands today). The portion in Ezek. 38 goes on to reveal that under Gog there will be a confederacy that will include Persia (Modern Iran), Ethiopia, Libya, Gomer (France), Togormah (Germany and other parts of Europe), V5-6. It is interesting to note that almost every one of these are either Russian satellites or else are leaning strongly in that direction, or are receiving aid from Russia.

We are indebted for much of the above information to J. R. Graves, who, over one hundred years ago had arrived at these conclusions. And this though Russia was far from a world power at that time, nor was it allied with so many of those nations mentioned in Ezek. 38, as it has been in modern times. Dr. Graves says:

We learn from the exposition given of Gog, that he will constitute the “little horn” of Daniel (see ch. 7:19 -27), and Paul’s personal Antichrist of the last days. All that is predicted of Antichrist must be fulfilled in Ezekiel’s Gog, in Daniel’s “Little Horn,” and “King of the North,” and in Paul’s Antichrist, and John’s seven-headed and ten horned Beast, that is to re-appear and dominate all Europe and the East, and to be destroyed by the personal advent of Christ.—The Seven Dispensations, p. 449.


One other interesting thing about this coming world-ruler is the fact that not only is he greatly desired by the unbelieving people of the world, but he has been some­times predicted by supposed prophets, seers and other unscriptural foretellers of the future. Nostrodamus of old, and in modern times, Edgar Cayce, Jean Dixon and others have supposedly foreseen the coming of some great world leader that would achieve world-wide prominence by coming to great power. While most such people have many failed forecasts on their records, some of them have enough fulfilled prophecies to gain much credence with the unbelieving world, and they are preparing the world to receive such a person. The fact that some of these people are highly religious, moral, good hearted and sincere only adds to their believability in the eyes of the unsaved world. And these people are some of Satan’s best and most useful tools when they speak of this supposedly great individual as one to be welcomed with open arms. Many people wrongly assume that if a person prophesies of some event that comes to pass, he must be one of God’s prophets, to be followed blindly. But it must be remembered that Balaam uttered one of the most marvelous prophecies in the Bible, yet he died a wicked, hireling prophet that would have lent his help to destroy Israel but for God’s restraint of his influence.

Let it also be remembered that God said that He would sometimes allow false prophets and dreamers to give signs that would come to pass, in order to test His own people whether they would love Him and obey His Word, Deut. 13:1-3. The world has long shown that it wants no part of Christ, but it will accept the Antichrist. And so, God is allowing the world to be prepared to receive him “whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth that they might be save, and for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie (literally, The Lie—the Antichrist); that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness,” II Thes. 2:9-12. Say, Reader, are you rejecting God’s truth about salvation? If so, then you will be easily duped into receiving the Man of Sin when he comes on the scene.

II. THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE ANTICHRIST.

By this we mean to consider those things that fit him for the work that he is to do, and it needs to be recognized in the very beginning that this man will be no ordinary man. He will be the man to satisfy the innate tendency of mankind to worship heroes. He will be a superman in almost all realms. In ancient times, it was the common practice to deify men that had achieved greatness in some realm, and the present tendency to hero-worship in our own nation is but slightly removed from this also. To such people, the Antichrist will be the culmination of all their hopes.
 

The assumption of the Man of Sin, daring and blasphemous as it is, is, however, little to be wondered at, when we remember not only who he is, but what he is, and whence his power and energy are derived. Anti­christ, though a mortal human being, an individual man, will be no common mortal, no ordinary man. A terrible peculiarity belongs to him. In addition to the sinful nature common to man, in him will dwell and operate all that can be communicated of the evil and energy of Satan.—J.R. Graves, The Seven Dispensations, p. 433


Scriptural proof of this Satanic energy is given in II Thes. 2:9-10, “Even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan in all power and signs and lying wonders, and in all deceit of unrighteousness to them that are perishing,” literal rendering. Note particularly the statement “all deceit of unrighteousness to them that are perishing.” When the Antichrist comes on the scene he will be a religious individual. But with the kind of religion that will please the “perishing,” i. e., those that are lost and on the road to perdition. His religion will be such that it will glorify man’s attainments without recognizing man’s sinful and fallen nature. It will relate wholly to outward things and deeds instead of to man’s inward, spiritual needs. It will be “a form of godliness,” but one that denies the Divine power necessary to please God, II Tim. 3:5.

Remember that the Antichrist does not at first comes a blasphemous and impious person seeking to overthrow all worship except that of himself, as we see him set forth in II These. 2:4. When he first comes on the scene he will be respectful of everyone’s religion insomuch that he will be able to effect a union of almost all different sects and denominations. Not until he has attained his position of world prominence will his real character be known to the world as it is revealed in Dan. 11:30-39; II Thes. 3; Rev. 13. This takes place in the midst of the seven years of Dan. 9:27 when he betrays the Jews, and all other religions, and demands worship only of himself.

Doubtless his knowledge will be phenomenal, and for every problem he will have what appears to be the perfect answer. In Dan. 7:20 he is viewed as the horn “that had eyes,” which speaks of great discernment. But this is not to be thought surprising, for his father, the Devil, has had thousands of years to learn the secrets of the world, and he will impart them to the Antichrist in full measure. Of the prince of Tyrus, which some believe to be the Antichrist, it is said, “Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee,” Ezek. 28:3. While to the King of Tyrus (observe the change of phraseology), whom we believe to be Satan, it is said: “Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty,” Ezek. 28:12. Whether the former reference is to the Antichrist or not, we feel certain that this refers to Satan, and so it shows that the devil’s resources of worldly wisdom are almost infinite, and well explains the Antichrist’s depths of wisdom which are derived from Satan. Of Antiochus Epiphanes, whom we regard as a type of the Antichrist, it is said that he is “a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences,” Dan. 8:23, which again points up the fact that the Antichrist is to be a man of great wisdom.

The world in our day has all but made an idol of education and learning. And science “falsely so-called” has come to speak authoritatively in so many realms and often is diametrically opposed to spiritual truth, that we cannot help but see how Satan is even now using these things for his own purposes. But if it be so now, how much more so will it be used by the Antichrist when he is revealed.

That the Antichrist will be an intellectual genius is manifested by those Scriptures cited above, but more than this, he will also be a political genius, for Dan. 11:21 declares: “And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.” And again in V23: “And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.” Just as Communism, after starting out with only seventeen persons, became a world power controlling numerous countries in only a half century through deceit and political genius, so shall the Antichrist do. There is nothing much worse than rotten politics but when it is devil inspired and energized, how much more so. All the deceitfulness that is predicated of him in II Thes. 2; Rev. 17: 12-13, et al., is used for political advancement so that while he overthrows others all around him, he himself shall grow stronger and more secure.

Again, it is manifest that the Antichrist is a financial genius, for he shall gain control over vast amounts of wealth. "But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps," Dan. 11:43. So extensive and so ruthlessly does he use this power that he controls men by it. "And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name," Rev. 13:16-17.

His wealth is spoke of in Dan. 11:38: "A god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things." If Ezek. 28:1-10 refers to him, then it becomes clear that he is a veritable Midas. "With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou has gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures: by thy great wisdom and by thy traffick thou has increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches," Ezek. 28:4-5.

Nor can it be doubted that this one will also be a military genius, Rev. 13:4, for so many of the Scriptures that speak of him, show that he has an army of followers that delight to do his every behest. He is able to so charm man by his personal charisma that he gathers a large following of men that idolize his learning and abilities.

But not alone by his wisdom does he command men, for he is revealed to be also an oratorical genius. The little horn that "had eyes," had also "a mouth that spake great things," Dan. 7:20, by which he swayed men to his own will. This same thought is found in Rev. 13:2 where he is said to have a mouth like a lion; i. e., he speaks with a great and commanding voice. This what is set forth in Rev. 6:2 where the Antichrist in the earlier part of his career is seen. John says, "And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow: and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering and to conquer." We have never been able to understand how anyone could hold that this one on the white horse is the Lord Jesus, when it is the Lamb Himself that opens the seals to reveal this. This one on the white horse, while appearing like Christ as He is shown in Rev. 19:1 1ff, is simply the mimic and imitator of Christ— the Antichrist. And he goes forth in the deceitful guise of a peaceful ruler until he gains sufficient power to accomplish his will. The bow is without arrows, and so, is not a weapon of war. A bow is symbolic of the lips and is often used symbolically of them, Ps. 64:3; Jer. 9:3, so that he here is presented as the great orator that sways many people to his side by his great speaking ability, Rev. 13:5-6.

And once again we are compelled to note how that he is a great miracle worker, deceiving the lost by his Satanic energy, signs and lying wonders, II Thes. 2:9. We wonder if he will not exercise this ability as a scientific genius that is able to astound the world with his deeds. We know that one of the greatest deeds that shall be done before the world, and that which causes many to follow him, will be his recovery from a mortal wound, Rev. 13:3-4. Just what this signifies we cannot be sure, but it is certain that it will be a miracle of such magnitude that the whole world will wonder. In the light of the present ability of ordinary men to resuscitate those that have died of drowning, heart attacks, etc., and those that have made medical history by transplanting of vital organs of human bodies from one to another, and the many other modern day medical miracles, how great must this great deed be! Little wonder then that men actually worship the Antichrist because of this ability to work miracles.
 
The world will then be presented with the spectacle of a man raised from the dead. All know him, for his career and amazing progress were eagerly watched. His wonderful achievements and military campaigns were the subjects of daily interest. His transcendent genius elicited their admiration. They had witnessed his death. They stood awe-struck, no doubt, at the downfall of this King of kings. And now he is made alive; his wound of death is healed; and the whole world wonders, and worships him.—A. W. Pink, The Antichrist, p. 103.

It must have occurred to the reader how much like our Lord Jesus many of these abilities of the Antichrist are. But is this not partly what is intimated in the very name "antichrist"? While often meaning "against," the word "anti" also means "in the place of," and this is exactly what the Antichrist is—Satan’s substitute for, and imitation of, the Christ of God. But the one great thing that forever disqualifies him from being the true Christ is his native evil. He is a genius in many realms, it is true, but throughout it all, he is a genius of evil. Like Antiochus Epiphanes of old, "his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power," Dan. 8:24. His whole nature is evil, and all of his abilities are devil inspired and energized. Yet in spite of this obvious devilishness, multitudes of this world will welcome him, venerate him, and finally come to render divine honors to him. This is because the natural man has no love for truth and righteousness, and he will call for the crucifixion of the true Christ, but will crown the false christ—the Antichrist.

There remains one other main avenue of inquiry to be pursued concerning the Antichrist, ~id that relates to the motivation for his doing all of the great evil that he does. Therefore, we note—

III. THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE ANTICHRIST.

By this terminology, we mean the principles that govern the conduct of this one, and we find these clearly set forth, or strongly suggested in several portions of Scripture. Any individual’s conduct will be determined mainly by the particular philosophy that he imbibes. If his is a spiritual philosophy then his outward conduct will reflect it, while if his philosophy is one of ambition and self-gratification, this will also be evident.

The Antichrist’s philosophy is characterized, first of all, by ambition, which is manifest from his first manifestation until he impiously usurps the very name and throne of God. Antiochus Epiphanes, the type, was a very ambitious man, and twice it is recorded of him that "he magnified himself," Dan. 8:11, 25. And the same thing is recorded of the Antichrist. "And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers,  nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all," Dan. 11:36-37.

But ambition often leads into other errors. A driving ambition often leads to an unprincipled pursuit of the object of one’s ambitions, and such is the case now before us. The Antichrist is said to "do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself," Dan. 11:36, so that he is revealed as unscrupulous where his own ambitions are concerned. We read, for instance, of him "obtaining the kingdom by flatteries," Dan. 11:21, and again of him making a covenant, then working deceitfully and breaking the covenant, Dan. 11:22-23; 9:27. We read of him entering into an alliance with an apostate church in order to gain his own end, only to cause the utter destruction of that apostate system as soon as his end has been gained, Rev. 17:7-18. And again we are told that the "idol shepherd" shall leave the flock, which has reference to the Antichrist’s claim to be the Jews’ Messiah, only to betray them and seek to destroy them as soon as he has achieved his wicked purpose, Zech. 11:16-17. Thus, this one is manifested to have the same evil ambition, coupled with the same lack of principle that his father Satan had, Isa. 14:12-14. From the very first, in the garden of Eden, unhallowed ambition has always driven men, eventually to desire "to be as God," Gen. 3:5, and nowhere do we find this exemplified as we do in the case of the Antichrist. Where ambition is coupled with lack of principle there follows irresistibly a contempt for all laws and rules, and so the individual becomes totally lawless so far as he thinks that he can get away with it. And such only obeys the law so far as fear or expediency dictates. Thus it shall be with the Antichrist, and for this reason, he is called "the Lawless One." "For the mystery of lawlessness already works, only the one now hindering will hinder until he be taken out of the way. And then shall be revealed the Lawless One," II Thes. 2:7-8, literal rendering. The personal philosophy of this one shall be that, "The end justifies the means," and, "You are entitled to all that you can get away with." Does this sound familiar? It  should, for it is the philosophy of our age and world, which only goes to show how well prepared the world is for the coming of the Man of Sin, for this is the one thing that is absolutely necessary for the Antichrist to arise to power. It has always been so that a wicked and lawless person cannot rise to power without the help and connivance of the people that hold the power of election and inauguration. And while the Antichrist shall deceive many as he begins his rise to power, yet his wicked character will be sufficiently manifest that men will be compelled to connive at his evil character in order to justify his usurped authority. But this is already a common thing in the world, for even in our own country we have observed numerous instances on all political levels of the election of wicked and unscrupulous individuals to office on the plea that their personal faults are far outweighed by their great abilities. And the Antichrist will so dazzle the world with his genius that men will gladly compromise righteousness for the sake of his great abilities to rule so that the people are materially prospered.

So far as his religious philosophy is concerned the Antichrist will be a thoroughgoing utilitarian. That is, he believes that religion is good only to the degree that it can be used to gain his evil ends. Many people are presently like that. But he will not manifest this for a time, for he will make the utmost use of all religions and man’s natural gullibility in order to achieve his own ends. In all probability he will appear as a great ecumenicist, and will be instrumental in leading many great sects and denominations into a common "Universal Church," which is presently the religious world’s great ambition. He will be accounted as the greatest reformer of all time— another Martin Luther. For while not a great deal is said about this prior to his blasphemous assumption of the name and place of God, yet we know that there has to be much preparation for this before he can captivate the minds and affections of men. The career of the Antichrist, which we will consider in more detail in a subsequent study, will run for seven years—the seventieth "week" referred to in Dan. 9, but he will practice in his true character for only half of this period—the "time, times, and an half," of Dan. 12:7; 7:25, the "forty-two months," of Rev. 11:2; 13:5, and the twelve hundred and sixty days of Rev. 12:6, etc. This period of time will be the second half of the seventieth week, but it seems very likely that the Antichrist will have his religious headquarters in Jerusalem for most, if not all of this "week" of years.
 

About seven months after the Antichrist, the "Prince" (i. e., of the Roman Empire) of Dan. 9:27 has made the Covenant with the Jews he will begin to "practice" in Jerusalem (Dan. 8:24). This we believe is the explanation of the two thousand three hundred days of Dan. 8:14 which has puzzled so many commentators. This two thousand three hundred days is the whole period during which the false messiah will practice in Jerusalem and have power over the "sanctuary": two thousand three hundred days is seven years less seven months and ten days. There, in Jerusalem, he will pose as the Christ of God, the Prince of Peace. The world will suppose that the long looked-for Millennium has arrived. There will be every indication that the eagerly desired Golden Age has, at last, dawned. The great Powers of Europe and Asia will have been united under the ten-kingdomed Empire. It will be expected that the League of Nations guarantees the peace of the earth. For a season quietness and amity will prevail. None will dare to oppose the mighty Emperor. But not for long will the hideous war-specter hide himself. Soon will the "white horse" of Rev. 6 be found to change his hue. A "red horse" will go forth and then "peace shall be taken from the earth" (Rev. 6). At the very time the world is congratulating itself that all is well, and the slogan of the hour is "Peace and Safety," then "sudden destruction cometh upon them" (I Thess. 5:3). In the midst of the seven years the Antichrist will throw off his mask, break his covenant with Israel, and stand forth as the most daring idolater who has ever trodden this earth. After he has "practiced" in Jerusalem for two years and five months, he will "take away the daily sacrifice" (Dan. 8:11; 9:27) from the Temple, and in its place rear an image to himself in the holy place, which is the "abomination of desolation" referred to by Christ (see Matt. 24: 15).—A. W. Pink, The Antichrist, pp. 100-101.

We find numerous statements of his changes of religious practices and laws and the direction that these changes tend. "And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time," Dan. 7:25. "...and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate," Dan. 9:27. "And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his father, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honor the God of forces: and a god whom his father knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain," Dan. 11:36-39. "And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations," Rev. 13:4-7.

The Antichrist will not only be energized by Satan, but he will also be a worshipper of Satan, and even a sharer in the worship paid to him, Rev. 13:4. His religious philosophy is therefore a product straight Out of Hades itself, devil inspired and energized—"after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders," II Thes. 2:9.

The world says, "If there was a real devil, which we do not believe, we are much too intelligent and religious to be ensnared by him." Yet the truth is that the devilish philosophy of the Antichrist will be harmonious with a great majority of this wicked, but self-righteous world. And for this reason the Antichrist—this very "uncommon man"— will quickly achieve a world-wide following of people whose personal philosophy is dictated by expediency without regard to the moral or spiritual character of the thing involved.

The character of the Antichrist will actually be a reflection of the character of the people of the world, and their obedience and allegiance to him will be the evidence if the natural enmity of the carnal heart to God and all that belongs to Him. The world has been in rebellion ever since the Garden of Eden, but man has never been willing to admit this truth; but the coming of the Antichrist will be God’s way of manifesting man’s natural willfulness and wickedness. Given a choice between Christ and Antichrist, the whole world will choose the latter, and God’s indictment that "all have sinned," Rom. 3:23, will be justified.

The Antichrist is Satan’s imitation of Christ, but what a vast difference there is between the two. God sent His Son into the world out of love, in order that man might be loosed from the shackles of sin and delivered from hell. But the devil will send his son into the world out of hate in order that as many as possible might be bound in sin and delivered into the everlasting pits of hell. God humbles, but saves, man, while Satan exalts man on earth, but ultimately damns him in hell. Say, reader, which of these conditions do you choose?

See Chapter Two