CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

THE CAREER OF THE ANTICHRIST

There is a great deal written in the Scriptures about this evil one that is to come upon the scene, more written, perhaps, than there is about any of the twelve apostles of the Lord. From the wealth of information that the Scriptures declare about him, one might expect that this one was to hold sway for a great period of time, but such is not the case at all. So far as we can tell, the public career of the Antichrist, and by this we mean that part of his career that is set forth in the Word of God, is only to run for seven years. Of course, we recognize that any individual is constantly being prepared all through life for what is yet to come, and what any given individual is, results from his early life and training, so that from his very infancy, the Antichrist will have been being prepared for his brief career. But the part of the career of this man that is revealed to us in the Word only spans seven brief years. However, this career, brief though it shall be shall nevertheless be of such extensiveness as to affect the whole world.

Politically and ecclesiastically the Antichrist may be viewed in a threefold connection: first, as be is related to the Gentiles; second, as he is related to the apostate Jewish nation; third, as he is related the Jewish Remnant, who separate themselves from their unbelieving brethren.—A. W. Pink, The Antichrist, p. 123.

His career does not touch the Christian of this present dispensation for the simple reason that they shall be taken out of the world just prior to the time that he comes into prominence. To the above statement by Pink we believe it should be noted, however, that the Antichrist will also have a connection with those Gentiles that shall be saved during this seven year period of time—the Seventieth Week. For Rev. 7:9 present's a view of a great multitude of martyred saints. “After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues, stood before the throne. and before the Lamb. clothed in white robes, and palms in their hands,” The explanation of who these are as given in V13-14 “And one of the elders answered, saving unto me. What are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they? And I said unto him. Sir. thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out great tribulation (literally, out of the great tribulation), and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” The Gospel seed shall have been sown in many places, and this will yet bring forth fruit. But it will be after the believers of the present church age have been taken out of the world, and the Antichrist launches his bloody career, and all these that then believe will lose their lives through the persecution of the “bloody and deceitful man.” The Antichrist’s systematic extermination of all that will not submit to him will make those terrible mass murders by Hitler and Stalin look like a Sunday School picnic.

Because of a preconceived idea that there will be no people saved during the Seventieth Week of Daniel, some have sought to subvert the teaching of the verses above. But the teaching of Rev. 7 is clear that during this time there will be a remnant of the Jews saved, numbering 144,000, and an innumerable multitude of the Gentiles. Both of these groups shall be persecuted unto the death. Finally, at the end of this period of great tribulation the remaining one third of the Jew that have not been killed will be saved in one day when they look upon Christ, whom they pierced, coming in the clouds of glory, Zech. 13:8-9; Isa. 66:8-9; Zech. 12:9-10.

There is much about the career of the Antichrist, as well as about his person, that is quite mysterious, and it is hard to be dogmatic about the chronological order in which the different aspects of his career take place. However, we believe that the following things will be the principle aspects of his career, and that they will generally follow the order in when we now present them.

I. THE POLITICAL CAREER OF THE ANTICHRIST.

This is the first way in which we find this one characterized in the Scriptures, for he arises from obscurity to become a world ruler in a very short period of time, yet it is not by military prowess that he first achieves fame. We read of him: “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,” Rev. 6:2. In this vision, the Antichrist first appears on a white horse, the color being emblematic of righteousness, for he shall first pose as a man of peace and righteousness. The bow, as we have already mentioned, speaks of the lips and therefore of great oratorical ability, Hab. 3:8-9, which is why the crown is "given" to him—he does not take it. His going forth "conquering and to conquer," none of which, however, satisfy his insatiable thirst for more power, speaks of his great political successes. Like his predecessor of old, Alexander the Great, he will always be looking for more kingdoms to overcome, but he will accomplish this politically, not militarily.

With this agrees Dan. 7:20 which shows that the "little horn" to have "mouth that spake very great things." His being a "little horn" when we first view him reveals his obscure beginning, but the fact that in his rise three other horns are overthrown shows that in coming to power, he usurps the kingdoms of three other kings. From our observation of the revolutions in South American countries, in the Asian countries, in Africa and in Russia, we know how suddenly a coup can elevate one that was previously unknown outside of his own country, to a place of world-wide prominence. This is exactly what will characterize the rise of the Antichrist.

The Antichrist will quickly receive from the devil what Jesus rejected on the mount of temptation as recorded in Matt. 4:8-10. "Again the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." All the kingdoms of the world are ultimately to become the Lord’s, Rev. 11:15 but they must received at the right time and in the right way, not as a result of a satanic compromise.

The source from whence he derives his extraordinary character and power is clearly indicated. It is from no intervention of God in his behalf, though for the punishment of the godless world permitted. The record says, "The Dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and great authority." It is therefore by the Devil’s power that he is thus revived, just as all demonism, necromancy, and witchcraft are of the Devil. When Christ was on earth, the Devil took him into an exceeding high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, and said unto Him: "All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me." There certainly was supernaturalism here. The holy Jesus, indeed, spurned the offer; but Satan eventually finds one to accept his conditions. This Beast is a worshipper of the Devil, and causes all under him to worship the Devil. In return, he gets what was proposed to Christ. The Devil makes over the infernal dominion into his hands, brings him again from the abyss, and constitutes him his great vice-gerent in the sovereignty of the world. He thus becomes in some sense an incarnation of the Devil. According, it is written that his manifestation "is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness." (II Thes. 2:9.) Unmistakably, then, we have here to do with a very extraordinary being—with a man altogether different from anything ever beheld in humanity before—with one who hails from the bottomless pit, endowed with all the energy and power of Satan himself—J. A. Seiss, The Apocalypse, p. 326.

Rev. 13:2 also pictures this oratorical power, for the Antichrist is there pictured having "his mouth as the mouth of a lion." He shall speak boldly, but more than that, he will act boldly in the political realm, and by that very thing, he will captivate the people and they shall willingly follow him. The first two verses of Rev. 13 picture the political career of the Antichrist from his rise to the consummate fullness of it. He is shown to first rise out of the sea, which is generally used symbolically of troubled mankind, but from this obscurity he rises quickly to prominence, gathering under him much of that which was originally part of the first three world kingdoms. This is manifest in that he is pictured as being partly like a leopard, partly like a bear and partly like a lion, all of which were symbols of the Grecian, Medo-Persian and Babylonian kingdoms, Dan. 7:4-6.

Here we find the forces of the Roman, the Grecian, the Medo-Persian, and the Babylonian empires coalesced. He will be the personal embodiment of the world’s political authority in its final form. So completely will the world be swayed by the hypnotic spell cast over it by the Beast that the ten kings of the Roman empire in its ultimate form shall "give their kingdoms unto him" (Rev. 17:17). He will be the last great Caesar.—A. W. Pink, The Antichrist, p. 82.

There are other Scriptures that show that the Antichrist will be a political genius, yet he will be a man without scruple, so that he will not hesitate to use or misuse anyone or anything when his own ambition is at stake. "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," Dan. 11:21. It is questioned by some whether this applies primarily to the Antichrist, or whether it has already been fulfilled in the person of Antiochus Epiphanes. But be that as it may, it still has a strong typical application to the Antichrist. The same is true of Dan. 8:25 where Antiochus Epiphanes is primarily in view, but who typifies the Antichrist. "And he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many."

His political position is shown in that he is often referred to as a "king." The interpretation of the vision is given in Dan. 7. "And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings," V24. This political situation is further clarified in Rev. 17:10-13. "And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast."

It must be remembered that just as those beasts in Daniel symbolized both the kingdom and the king that ruled over the kingdom, so it is here. Thus, the seven kings (or kingdoms) are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, Medo-Persia, Rome, and the fmal one—the Antichrist’s kingdom. "Five are fallen" refer to the first five of these kingdoms. "And one is,"—Rome, which was in the height of its power when John wrote. "And one is not yet," for the Antichrist’s kingdom is yet to arise, but when it comes on the scene, it will be "of the seven," for it will be the Roman Empire revived again. The "ten kings" correspond to the ten toes on the great image that Nebuchadnezzar saw, Dan. 2:40ff.

But from these things it is evident that the Antichrist will be a politician par excellence. He will deal in political intrigue, and will manipulate rulers and nations to suit himself. His whole political career will be characterized by lies and broken promises. This is doubtless why he is called, "The bloody and deceitful man," Ps. 5:6. Note that this is said in connection with those "that speak leasing (the obsolete English word for lies.)," and, according to II Thes. 2:11, will be one of the names that characterize the Antichrist. "And because of this God shall send them an energized deception so that they believe the lie," (literal rendering of the Greek). "The Lie" refers to this Man of Sin, V3, who shall be the very personification of lying, as Jesus is the very personification of truth, John 14:6. Compare the Antichrist’s lying character with John 8:44 that says of the devil: "When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."

The "Bloody and Deceitful Man" is plainly the Man of Sin. He is denominated "bloody" by virtue of his military ferocity; he is called "deceitful" because of his political duplicity. One after another of his opponents will fall before him: through a sea of blood will he advance to his imperial throne. Utterly unreliable will be his word, worthless his promises. A manifest incarnation of that one who is the father of the Lie will he be.— A. W. Pink, The Antichrist, p,. 126.

Another evidence of the political activities of the Antichrist is to be seen in the type supplied by Antiochus Epiphanes in Dan. 11:23, for while this is primarily applicable to him, yet it also typifies the Antichrist’s activities in the end of this age. "And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people." It is not necessary to have great armies behind one to overcome, for if one is smart politically, he can take over a nation in a short time. In proof of this we need only remind the reader that less than a century ago the Communistic political system started with only seventeen men, yet through political intrigue, deceit, murder, etc., it has now come to dominate a large portion of the world. This is exactly the way in which the Antichrist will accomplish his own ends, and he will leave a greater trail of lies and broken covenants and overthrown governments in the seven years he is on the scene than the Communistic system has in its century of operations. But not only does this evil one triumph through political intrigues, for we also read of his military prowess. Therefore we note—

II. THE MILITARY CAREER OF THE ANTICHRIST.

As we have suggested above, the military aspect of the Antichrist’s career is not the first thing that meets our eye when he comes on the scene. In Rev. 6:2 he first comes before us in the guise of peace, but later we find his character totally changes and he is presented in another way. "And when be had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword," Rev. 6:3-4. To coin a pun, the Antichrist changes horses in the middle of the week, as is referred to in Dan. 9:27.

In ancient times those that became kings of the great empires and kingdoms often were first great military leaders, and came to the throne through their fame as generals. It will perhaps be true of the Antichrist that he first achieves fame as a great military strategist, but this will not be the way that he gains the kingdom, as we have shown above. Nevertheless, during his reign he will employ his military ability as none have ever done before him, but only after he breaks his covenant with the Jews apparently. Indeed, most of the things that he does that reflects his true character are done after this turning point in his career. The middle of the "Seventieth Week" is the time when his character will change.

As a great military strategist the Antichrist will literally make the earth run red with human blood, as he annihilates all that would oppose his desires. Keith Brooks has well remarked on the prominence of the color red in connection with the Antichrist.

Everything connected with the anti-Christ system in the last days is described in the prophecies as RED. We have already studied concerning the woman in red (Rev. 17:3), and the red Beast on which she rides. Babylon, the seat of the Beast is to be a red city (18:16). Nahum foretold the red hoard in the last days (Nah. 2:3). Red is connected with sin (Isa. 1:18), and back of the whole red program of sin is the red Dragon (Rev.12:3). In Revelation 6:4, a prophecy describing agencies used of Satan to bring the whole world into chaos, we read: "And there went out another horse that was red; and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth and that they should kill one another; and there was given unto him a great sword." The power that is to take peace from the earth is a RED force. Here is pictured a bloody class war. There is no reference here to a line-up of nations one against another, but of men killing one another, urged on by a Red leader with mighty power. That leader, in reality is none other than Satan!—Prophecy and the Tottering Nations, p. 39.

It appears that this dreadful deluge of blood will be occasioned immediately after the midst of the "seventieth week," and that it will first be directed against Israel. This is set forth in Rev. 12 where a great panoramic view of Israel’s history is set before us. The woman in V1 is clearly identified as Israel, Gen. 37:9-10, and not as "The Church" as some hold. "The Church" (which is not a scriptural usage of the word) did not bear Christ, but rather He begot His churches. Christ was born of Israel according to the flesh. In V2 the birth of Christ is set forth, while Satan’s enmity toward Him is declared in V3 - 4. At V6 this panorama suddenly leaps forward to the end times, to the middle of the "Seventieth Week," by-passing in silence the whole time that Jerusalem has been "trodden down of the Gentiles." It is at this mid-week period that the war in heaven takes place, when, for some reason, Satan and all his imps are cast out of heaven, no more to have access there to accuse the saints, V7 - 11. But this casting out of Satan causes him to begin to vent his great wrath upon Israel, who, at least in part, is hidden from his murderous rage. This causes him to turn his wrath upon the 144,000 Jews of the remnant that have been converted prior to this, V12 - 17. We would not be dogmatic in this matter. But it seems to us that the occasion of all this bloodshed will be the Antichrist’s betrayal of the covenant with the Jews by the invading of her land with an evil intent of making merchandise of her for gain, Ezek. 38:9 -16; Nahum 1:11; Dan. 11:28 - 39.

It is at this time that he will begin to exalt himself and assume the role of a god, and will demand worship of the whole world, and shall enforce this worship with the most unbelievable display of Satanic power. According to Rev. 13:3 - 4 this will take place after the Antichrist performs some great miracle—perhaps his own resurrection from the dead in mimicry of the true Christ. "And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 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?" The last statement emphasizes the greatness of the Antichrist as a military man.

Yet when we consider collateral passages, we are brought face to face with another fearful fact—the Antichrist’s armies at this time will not be mere men, but will be deathless creatures from the infernal regions. See the description of these in Rev. 9 where they are called locusts and number two hundred million, and see Joel 2 where they are further described. Pink says of this:

Returning now to Rev. 9:1 the Antichrist is here termed the "king over" the locusts. Let the reader pay careful attention to what is predicated of these infernal beings in Joel 2 and here in Rev. 9, and let him remember they number no less than two hundred millions, and then see if it does not throw new light on Rev. 13:4, where concerning the Antichrist the question is asked, "Who is able to make war with him?"!! How utterly futile to engage in conflict one who commands an "army" of two hundred millions, none of whom are subject to death!—The Antichrist, pp. 189 -190.

So great and dreadful is this army that by them is one third of the world’s population slain, Rev. 9:15, 18, while in Rev. 6:8 the Antichrist is shown to have the power of death over one fourth part of the earth and to kill with that power. If these two things refer to two distinct persecutions, then there will be over one half of this world’s population destroyed at this time. However, it seems more probable that Rev. 6:8 defines the geographical extent of this persecution by the Antichrist, while Rev. 9:18 reveals the numerical extent of this same persecution.

It may be objected by some that Joel 2:11 refers to this great army as "the Lord’s army," and that therefore it could not be the army of the Antichrist. But the objection does not have force, for while in Rev. 9 this army is definitely led by "the angel of the bottomless pit," yet they execute the Lord’s judgment upon the impenitent hosts of earth, V20. And cf. Joel 2:12-14. Indeed, the Antichrist is called God’s "rod of anger" upon Israel, Isa. 10:5, and "the overflowing scourge," with whom Israel makes a covenant, Isa. 28:15, 18, so that however the Antichrist may not intend to serve any but himself in this matter, yet the Lord makes it work out otherwise. Isa. 10:7, 12:

"Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few... Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks." This is but another exemplification of the sovereignty of God, for He allows only so much of creature evil as will redound to His glory. "Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain," Ps. 76:10.

But from all these things it is evident that the Antichrist will be a great military leader, and will be irresistible by any earthly power. He will accomplish his will until the indignation be accomplished, Dan. 11:36, then the Lord will bring his career to a speedy close with Divine ease. How comforting to know that God is still in control of all His creatures and will ever be. How foolish and even blasphemous for men to declare that God cannot do this or that with man. Such statements spring from human pride and ignorance. "The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whitersoever he will," Prov. 21:1.

But beside the Antichrist’s Political and Military career, he will also be a man of outstanding ability in the world of commerce, and he will use this to manipulate the whole world to do his will. Therefore we consider—

III. THE FINANCIAL CAREER OF THE ANTICHRIST.

As with the other facets of his career, so with this one, we find the Antichrist’s career set before us in Rev. 6. "And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine," V5-6. This sets before us the fact that there will be times of great famine during the Antichrist’s career, and that be will be the one that holds the balances. That is, that he will control the economy and will dictate the prices for food. It is to be noted that the rationing will have to do primarily with the necessities, while the luxuries are not hurt.

His control of the world’s economy is manifest in Rev. 13:16 -17 where it is shown that at that time, men will be required to have the mark of the Antichrist, and therefore to be a worshipper of him before they can either buy or sell. "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." I. M. Haldeman has rightly said:

He will be the greatest wealth accumulator the world has ever known. Midas-like, everything he touches will turn to gold—his investments will return him the income of kings. His interests will be world-wide and his operations on a scale that will allow no competition. All business will eventuate in his control, not a factory can open its doors, not a train can move upon its tracks, or a ship sail upon the sea, unless he wills. All lines of operation will be so concentrated in his hands that he can at ease dictate his terms.—The Signs of the Times, pp. 83 - 84.

There are quite a number of Scriptures that point to the Antichrist’s accumulation of great wealth and Babylon the Great that is described in Rev. 18 is shown to be a great commercial center. For at her fall we are told: "And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: the merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyme wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron and marble, and cinnamon, and odors, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves (literally, ‘bodies’), and souls of men," V11 - 13.

There is much disagreement among students of prophecy about the identity of this Babylon. Some hold that throughout the Book of Revelation "Babylon" is in reference to Papal Rome. Others believe that there are two "Babylons" here, the one "mystery" Babylon, which is Rome, and the other "commercial" Babylon, that is to be ancient Babylon in Iraq restored. This latter view has much to commend it. In chapter 17 Babylon is denominated a mystery which, we believe, is intended to mark her as being symbolic rather than literal, and the description of her seems clearly to mark her location as Rome. Doubtless, this Mystery Babylon will be consummate form of all false religion and all false churches of the end times. The present ecumenical trends are highly thought provoking in this connection. However the fall of Babylon is mentioned twice, each time with a double pronouncement of the fall. And as that fall is pictured in two different ways and with two different attitudes on the part of the spectators, it appears evident that there will be a literal city of Babylon—a great commercial city—in contradistinction to Mystery Babylon. Only in regard to this first Babylon can one harmonize the multitude of Old Testament prophecies that have not yet found fulfillment. At no time in the past has ancient Babylon ever had anything like a full, literal fulfillment of the prophecies spoken against her in Isa. 13:19-22 and Jer. 51. Conversely, Babylon continued to be a populous city for several centuries into the Christian era, and even so late as the 1800’s had over ten thousand people inhabiting it. Not only so, but several things that are said of the Babylon of the Book of Revelation are quotations from these Old Testament prophecies, which cannot be explained except upon the assumption that they look forward to a yet future fulfillment.

We have said all this in order to show that when the Antichrist arises to power he will have great riches, and that his commercial capital will be located upon the site of ancient Babylon. This is prophesied of in Zech. 5:1-11, of which we note in particular the last two verses. "Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah? And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base." "Shinar" is, of course, where Babylon is located, and explains why the Antichrist is sometimes called "the King of Assyria," for he shall rule over this area of the country and over this great city.

As the women set forth commerce in its activity, and the ephah the standard of universal measure, it is the definite, angelic declaration that Babylon is to become the site, the base, the center, and therefore, the established and recognized capital of a wide, far-reaching and universal system of commerce, a veritable world kingdom of common interests. As Babylon was then, and is now, overthrown and in ruins, it is the logical and unqualified testimony that Babylon must be rebuilt—that Babylon has yet a future... The eighteenth chapter (of Revelation—DWH) gives us the Babylon which Zechariah sees as the base or center of the world’s final commerce, the city whose destruction and perpetual desolation both Jeremiah and Isaiah foretold... And this Babylon will be ruled and controlled by a supreme mastermind, a man who shall combine in himself all the varied genius of the human race. He will be soldier and statesman, orator and financier, scientist and demagogue, tyrant and liberalist, leading armies and addressing conventions, making treaties and breaking them.—l. M. Haldeman, The Signs of the Times, pp. 346, 351, 355.

In this greedy and degenerate age, wealth is worshipped as nothing else is, and it is almost universally accounted as the key to all things. Little wonder then that the Antichrist, when he comes on the scene with the answer to so many of the world’s problems, and with the financial genius to make every thing turn to gold for himself, would be hailed by so large a percentage of the world’s population. Men will be glad to follow him so long as there is the promise of gain, even though it may require that they renounce all moral and religious beliefs.

Under his regime everything will be nationalized, and none will be able to buy or sell without his permission (Rev. 13:17). All commerce will be under his personal control, and this will be used for his own aggrandizement. The wealth of the world will be at his disposal. There are several scriptures which call attention to this. For example in Psa. 52:7 we read, "Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches; and strengthened himself in his substance." Again in Dan. 11:38 we are told, "But in his estate shall he honor the god of forces (Satan): and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things." Even plainer is Dan. 11:43, "But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt." In the last verse of Dan. 11 mention is made of his "palace." He will be wealthier that Croesus. Ezek. 28:4, 5 speaks of him thus, "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 traffic hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches." Thus will he be able to wield the scepter of financial power and outdo Solomon in all his glory.—A. W. Pink, The Antichrist, pp. 80 - 81.

These Scriptures which Pink cites all point up the fact that the Antichrist will be a great financial genius, and this is partly what gives him his success with the world. It is as the wise man says: "Wealth maketh many friends... Many will entreat the favor of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts," Prov. 19:4, 6. Perhaps never before in man’s history has covetousness been as rampant as it is in our day, and it is for this reason that many will gladly follow the Antichrist on his mad pursuit of wealth. The present attitude of great multitudes of people is, "All things subservient to material gain," and we observe this principle acted out in the daily lives of many. This worship of Mammon is at the root of much of the lawlessness and lawmaking of our own day, for the strikes, demonstrations and general unrest are but instruments to gain greater material possession. And much of the legislative enactments are the result of pressure by the masses for greater material possessions~ increased social security and a guarantee of wages whether one earns them or not. The degree of a person’s lust for material possessions is a measure of his lack of faith in God. In our day, however, to speak against such covetousness is to be accounted irrational, if not blasphemous. Indeed a social reformer of the 1960’s publicly said that, "The greatest heresy is to be unconcerned about people’s (physical) welfare."

It is true that the Scripture says that parents ought to lay up for their children, II Cor. 12:14, and that children and grandchildren are to take care of their aged people, I Tim. 5:4, 8, 16. But it is interesting to note that nowhere does Scripture admonish a person to lay up in store for himself except by serving the Lord and giving to His cause. Conversely, it warns against being anxious for the future. The R. V. gives the literal rendering of Matt. 6:31 - 34 when it says, "Be not therefore anxious, saying What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

We can understand why the unbelieving world is anxious and tries to gain all that it can, but it is not only incongruous, but also shameful that Christians should be anxious about their material needs being fulfilled. Such an attitude belies all of the Lord’s promises to His own. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread," Ps. 37:23-25.

This lust for material possessions is one of the characteristics that is necessary to make the advent of the Antichrist possible. Wicked people’s appetite for worldly wealth whetted to a keen edge, they shall hail the Antichrist and welcome him with open arms when he comes with the promise of wealth for all. And it is his own lust for wealth that shall be the cause of his great persecution against Israel, as we have suggested under the previous point. But like the wise man says, "He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase," Eccl. 5:10. So the Antichrist will never be able to satisfy his lust for wealth, though he shall accumulate vast amounts until he is cut off, as the Lord has promised. "0 thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness," Jer. 51:13.

But though all of these foregoing things are true of the Antichrist in his career, there is yet another career which characterizes him more fully than all of the others. Indeed, all of the others are but means employed to the end of this final career of the Antichrist. Note therefore—

IV. THE RELIGIOUS CAREER OF THE ANTICHRIST.

Inasmuch as Christ’s mission to this sin-cursed earth was one of a religious nature almost entirely, it is but little to be wondered at that the Antichrist’s career is to be primarily of this character also. And all other aspects of his career are subservient to this end, for he is the counterfeit of the true Christ and hence his name: "Anti-christ."

This aspect of the Antichrist’s career is declared in Ezek. 21:25-27, one of the most remarkable prophecies in all of the Bible. "And thou, o deadly wounded wicked one, the prince of Israel, whose day is come, in the time of the iniquity of the end; thus saith the Lord God: Remove the mitre, and take off the crown: this shall be no more the same: exalt that which is low, and abase that which is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it: this also shall be no more until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him," R. V. We have used the R. V. because it more literally expresses the inspired Hebrew original than the KJV.

From this portion, the following things may be noted which qualify and interpret this prophecy for us. (1) It is addressed to one who is "the prince of Israel." (2) He is called "a wicked one," which is the title of the Antichrist in II Thes. 2:8. Indeed, in the Septuagint version the Greek word is the same as it is in II Thes. 2:8 except for being in a different case form. (3) This wicked prince of Israel is seen as deadly wounded, which is the more common meaning of the Hebrew word here rendered "profane" in the KJV. Only twice out of 95 appearances is it so rendered, while it rendered "slain," "wounded," "deadly wounded," or "killed" 92 times. This is exactly the condition of the Antichrist in Rev. 13:3. (4) The time element is "when iniquity shall have an end," which is a probably reference to Dan. 9:24: "...To finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins..." This takes place in the Seventieth Week of years in relationship to Israel. (5) The Hebrew word translated mitre (mitsnepheth) appears only twelve times in the Old Testament, and in the KJV is translated "mitre" every time except here in Ezek. 21. The R. V. and ASV, which are both more literal translations of the Bible text, rightly translate this word "mitre" herd also. This mitre was only to be worn by the High Priest, and so, this speaks of the religious role that this Israelite prince has. This wicked prince of Israel shall, at this time, be possessed of both the mitre, and so will be the High Priest, and also the crown, and so, shall be Israel’s king. (6) Through out his public career the Antichrist is always seen as proud—high in his ambitions, while Christ was always "the meek One," as prophecy characterizes him. God will so overturn the Antichrist’s schemes that he will be humbled and Christ exalted. (7) The last sentence of this portion shows that both these offices are usurped by one to whom they do not belong, for they belong alone to the Lord Jesus. In view of these things, it seems beyond all cavil that this portion refers to the Antichrist, but if this be so, then we are clearly shown that he will be priest over the rebuilt Temple at Jerusalem, as well as prince over Israel as a nation.

So far as we are aware, all pre-millennial students regard this passage as a description of the Antichrist. It pictures him as Satan’s parody of the Son of Man seated upon "the throne of His glory." It sets him forth as the priest-king. Just as in the Millennium the Lord Jesus will “be a Priest upon His throne (Zech. 6:13), so will the Antichrist combine in his person the headships of both the civil and religious realms. He will be what the popes have long aspired to be—head of the World-State, and head of the World-Church.—A. W. Pink, The Antichrist, p. 146.

Many other passages suggest this same thought, such as Dan. 9:27: “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: 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.” See also Isa. 10:23. By this covenant this wicked Jew (Nahum 1:11) becomes both king and high priest over Israel, but he betrays Israel and profanes the covenant after only three and one half years of the week of years. This covenant is referred to in Isa. 28:15, 17. “Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves... And your covenant with death shall be dissannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.”

It is interesting to note how many names and titles of the Antichrist are to be found here, and it confirms our belief that this is the subject under discussion here. (1) Reference is made to “death and hell” (Hebrew sheol), while in Rev. 6:8 the Antichrist’s career is pictured as a pale green horse upon which “death” rides, followed by “hell” (Hades), which is the Greek equivalent to the Hebrew word sheol. (2) “The overflowing scourge” is about equivalent to the Antichrist being called God’s “rod of mine anger,” in Isa. 10:5. (3) Then the reference to “the refuge of lies,” V15, 17, is interesting for both of the words used in the Hebrew text are singular, so that this is an obvious reference to the Antichrist as “the Lie” in II Thes. 2:11.

The covenant that the Antichrist makes with the Jews is the basis of the imagery presented in the feet of the great image that Nebuchadnezzar saw as recorded in Dan. 2. The interpretation is given in V40 - 43. “And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken (margin. ‘brittle’). And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.”

There have been many speculations about what is symbolized by the iron and the clay, some holding that it signifies imperialism and democracy, but these have been little else than speculations. And not a single Scriptural reference has been given, so far as we know, to substantiate such speculations. But if the Scripture is its own best interpreter, then we have no need for speculation. Is there, then, any Scripture to interpret the symbolic meaning of this “potter’s clay”? The answer is, Yes! Isaiah’s prayer in Isa. 64:8 leaves little doubt in the matter. “But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our patter and we all are the work of thy hand.” See the same basic idea also Isa. 29:16; 45:9; Jer. 18:4. 6.

The feet of this image, therefore, is a picture of the final form of the Roman Empire that consists of ten divisions made up of an alliance of Gentiles (“the seed of men”) and Jews. This is also seen in Ps. 2:1. “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?” Here “the people,” as almost always in Scripture, refers to the Jewish people. That the Hebrew words in Dan. 2 are different from those employed in Isaiah and Jeremiah we admit, yet both of them refer to “potter’s clay” and even the use of different words is significant, as A. W. Pink well observes.

That the Hebrew word for “clay” in these passages is a different one from that employed in Dan. 2 is exactly what a reflecting mind would naturally expect. Isa. 64: and Jer. 18 treat of the Israel that shall be restored, whereas Dan. 2 speaks of the apostate portion of Israel, irrevocably given up to judgment. In striking accord with this, we may add, that the word used in Isa. 64 and Jer. 18 refers to clay in its native and mould-able stage; but the word in Dan. 2 signifies” burnt clay,” which denotes its final condition: here, as always, “burning” tells of Divine judgment! —The Antichrist, p. 297, note.

This alliance of Israel with the Antichrist is what leads up to the manifestation of the Antichrist in his blasphemous religious career. For after three and one half years in alliance with Israel he will treacherously betray them and set up his own idolatrous worship of himself. Whereas for a time there will have been the restored Temple worship, employing animal sacrifices, at which the Antichrist, as High Priest officiates, there comes a time when he alters this religious activity. The great act of impiety that he institutes is declared in II Thes. 2:3-4. “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God? Contrary to the endeavors of many to make “the Temple of God” here to be “The Church,” this has nothing to do with any church. For the Church Age will have ended shortly before this when all true saints are raptured, leaving for a brief time, not a single saved person on earth. The Temple here will be the restored Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.

Undoubtedly the Antichrist will pose as a great religious leader and reformer when he first comes on the scene, and many will be deceived into believing that he is the Jews’ long-sought Messiah. It is to this that Jesus referred when He said, “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,” John 5:43. Thus as a man of peace and righteousness is he pictured first in Rev. 6:2, but only for a time, and then he shall be manifested in his true color—RED—the color of blood. People sometimes speak of the Great Tribulation as if it were co-extensive with the Seventieth Week of Daniel’s prophecy, Dan. 9:24-27, but such is not the case, for the Great Tribulation period extends only through the last half of the Seventieth Week, beginning with the Antichrist’s blasphemous erection of theimage of himself in the holy place at Jerusalem. "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains... For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be," Matt. 24:15-16, 21.

The religious career of the Antichrist will be in two stages therefore, the first, covering the first three and one half years of the Seventieth Week, in which he is widely accepted as a great ecumenicist and reformer, about which not a great deal is said in the Scriptures. And second, covering the last half of the Seventieth Week, in which he will stand forth in his real character, and with which the Scriptures are chiefly occupied.

Reference to the "abomination" in Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11 and Matt. 24:15, sets forth God’s view of the nature of the Antichrist’s religious career in the last half of the Seventieth Week. This word "abomination" in the Old Testament is always associated with idolatry. This is set forth in considerable detail in the Book of Daniel as an egotistical and idolatrous glorifying of himself. "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. 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.

The final forty-two months of the Antichrist’s career are vividly set before us in Rev. 13:2-7. "And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat (Greek thronos—throne), and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 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."

The Antichrist’s religious career is strengthened by the marvelous miracles that he is given power to perform in the sight of all the world. These are probably seen by means of world-wide television. Thus it is said of him, "Whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders," II Thes. 2:9. The greatest of these miracles will be the healing of the Antichrist’s death-stroke. "And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast," Rev. 13:3. Here we tread upon mysterious ground. The beast here is doubtless the Antichrist’s kingdom, while the head that is smitten to death is the Antichrist himself. Whence he receives this "wound by the sword, and did live," Rev. 13:14, we are not told, but it all works out as well for him as if it had all been planned. A "deadly wound," V12, that is healed is enough to make the world wonder with great admiration, but it seems very possible that there is an even greater marvel that lies just under the surface here. In Dan. 9:27 the phrase "for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate," is more literally rendered "upon the wing of abominations shall come one that maketh desolate." The Hebrew word rendered "overspreading" (kanaph) appears 99 times in the Old Testament, and is never again so rendered, but seventy times it is rendered "wing," and over half of these have to do with the wings of cherubim. We have already remarked how that "abomination" is almost always in reference to a false god, so that it seems very likely that after his death stroke is healed, the Antichrist will make the world believe that he is God in fulfillment of such texts as Ps. 18:10. "And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings (kanaph) of the wind." This will strengthen his claim to be the true Christ, for as the disciples watched Christ being taken up into heaven upon a cloud, angels characterized this of Him. "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven," Acts 1:11.

It seems therefore that the Antichrist will imitate all the things that Jesus did— His death, His resurrection, and His return from heaven—and by these lying wonders, he will convince the world that he is God and to be worshipped under pain of death. A false church and a false prophet, with whom he is allied, will also throw all of their influence and authority behind his pretensions. And all the world will worship him, those alone excepted whose names have been written in the Lamb’s book of elect ones from eternity past, Rev. 13:7 - 8; 17:8.

A very important aspect of the Antichrist’s religious career is to be seen in his connection with the scarlet whore of Rev. 17, which is, a final form of what is presently known as Roman Catholicism. It is objected by some that Rome cannot be the "mother of the harlots and abominations of the earth (J. A. Seiss, The Apocalypse, p. 387) since she came into existence so many years after many of these abominations. However it is true that Rome as it presently is, is the consummation of what started in ancient Babylon. Presently there is no such extensive system of idolatry in Babylon as it originally existed there, but Roman Catholicism is the extension of, and the present propagator of that ancient system. Almost all of the present "abominations" have been mothered by her either directly or indirectly. All of apostate Protestantism that presently exists has come either first or second handedly from her, and all of it will ultimately return to "Mother Rome" to become the universal religion under Antichrist.

Thus, what we claim of Roman Catholicism is not that she is the origin of all the abominations of the earth, but only that she is, and shall be, the propagator of that system which originated so long ago in ancient Babylon. This is why she is called "Babylon" even though her geographical location is shown to be far removed from the land of Shinar. We agree with Dr. Seiss that this system originated with Nimrod in the early days of man’s history. He says of Nimrod’s rebellious form of worship:

Thus, in the very name of the place, we have the intimation and proof that these Nimrodic proceedings were not only the organization of a new and oppressive style of government, but with it, as an essential part of it, the inauguration of a new and idolatrous religion, the parent apostasy of the post-diluvian world... And every intimation concerning him shows that he was the Heaven-defying founder of a new system of rule and worship, instituting a government by brute force and earthly wisdom and policy, and a religion which quite abolished the true God, and set men to the adoration of the sun, moon, and stars, impersonated in himself, wife, relatives, and chief consociated, and represented in the idol standards of his kingdom... It is also a fact that all the Pagan mythologies and idolatrous devotions the world over, whatever their diversities, show a oneness of character, and an underlying likeness which proves that they are from one original source, and but modifications of one and the same primal invention, traceable to old Babylon and the Nimrodic plan to defeat the purposes of the God of Noah. The original design was thwarted by the confusion of tongues.—The Apocalypse, p. 389

However, though we concur in this, yet we feel compelled to hold that what is before us in Rev. 17 is the Catholic religious system in its final form. We hold this for the simple reason that the old Nimrodic religious system, and all of the other most ancient systems of idolatry have passed off the scene, or rather, they have been transferred to, and adopted by the Catholic religious system. See Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylon's, who has fully documented and proven this. There is much in the Catholic system that is very little different from the ancient Nimrodic system except in the names given to It. But to take a pagan practice and give it a Christian name, in no way changes the pagan character of that practice. Much confusion would be removed if men remembered that what is set forth here is not so much what has been, as what shall be developed in the end of this age. This woman therefore represents the final form of apostasy as it shall be just prior to the coming reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. Being a developed form of apostasy, it will encompass all the idolatrous systems of the past, and will be varied enough to please every rebel against the infallible Word of God. Hence all kinds of people will find it easy to yield to this apostate religion and its "god."

In Rev. 13:11ff a second beast is seen arising out of the earth, and some have thought that this one is the Antichrist instead of the first beast, but this we cannot understand, for the following reasons. (1) It is the first beast who is worshipped, not the second, yet this is what is predicated of the Antichrist in Daniel, II Thessalonians, Revelation and other places. (2) This second beast bears witness to the first, which will be in mimicry of the Holy Spirit, whose office it is to bear witness to Christ, John 16:13-14. (3) It is the first beast, not the second, who apes all of the redemptive work of Christ—His death, resurrection and second advent. (4) It is the first beast, not the second, which has a "throne," and will counterfeit Christ’s millennial reign. (5) In "exercising all the power of the first beast,," the second beast is shown to be in a subordinate role to the first beast, Vi 2. This is another evidence that the second beast—the false prophet—will counterfeit the Holy Spirit. (6) Rev. 19:20 puts the matter beyond all cavil, for this explicitly tells us that it is the false prophet that works miracles before the beast, as declared in 13:11-14. Comparison of these two passages will leave no doubt of the matter in any unprejudiced mind.

In Rev. 17:3 the scarlet woman is seen sitting upon the scarlet colored beast, which, as we have already noted, is the kingdom of the Antichrist, so that what is here set forth is the union of church and state. This has long been Catholicism’s long suit and her means of promoting herself. Wherever Rome has found the opportunity, or has been able to make the opportunity, she has always joined with the state so as to have the power to persecute all that dissent from her ungodly pretensions. This has characterized her since her earliest beginnings in 325 A. D.

But not only is this woman seen riding upon this beast, but she is also revealed in all her worldly beauty and allurement, and she has in her hand a golden cup full of the abominations of the earth, V4. While "abomination" almost always refers to some form of idolatry, "fornication," when used metaphorically has to do with unfaithfulness to God—false worship—so that her true nature is revealed. The descriptive name of VS also manifests this, as does her attitude toward God’s people in V6.

In V7 the angel promises to explain the mystery of this woman and the beast upon which she rides. The beast is the kingdom of the Antichrist—the revived Roman empire "which was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition," V8. This shows this woman’s connection with the Antichrist’s religious career.

The statement "And here is the mind which bath wisdom," V9, shows that a matter requiring deeper discernment is here set forth, for a double symbolism is lodged in the seven heads of the beast. The literal rendering in V9 - l0a is, "Here is the mind having wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills where the woman sits upon them and they are seven kings..." Numerous translations correctly follow this literal rendering.

The seven heads of the beast upon which the woman sits first of all points to the geographical location of the organization symbolized by the woman. It is the city of the seven hills—Rome. This is as we would expect it should be if this beast is a revived form of the ancient Roman Empire. But secondly, these seven heads represent seven kings and their respective kingdoms that were forerunners of the Antichrist’s kingdom. At the time that John saw this great vision, five of these had already fallen. These were the kingdoms of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Greece and Medo-Persia. One of them was then existing, which was the Roman Empire, and the other, the Antichrist’s kingdom, was not yet come.

The heads are symbolic, but they set forth two real things, mountains and kings. If the kings are real, equally so are the mountains; the mountains indicate the place where the kings rule. The location of the kings, the location of the woman and, therefore, the location of the city, was on seven mountains. The Rome of Saint John’s day, the Rome of our day, is seated on seven hills, and these hills are definitely called mountains; but the city is known in the pages of every history as "the seven-hilled city."—I. M. Haldeman, The Signs of the Times, p. 370.

The ten horns upon the heads of this beast represent ten kings that all give their power and strength unto the Antichrist, V12 - 13, and these shall ultimately hate the whore, and shall destroy her at the Antichrist’s instigation and thereby shall fulfill God’s will, V16-17. However from all these things it is evident that for a time the Anti-christ, in his religious career, shall be allied with the religious system of Rome. The chapter closes by further identifying this scarlet woman as "that great city, which reigneth over the kinds of the earth," V18, a statement that has nowhere found so great a fulfillment as in the Catholic system of religion.

For over sixteen hundred years the apostate church at Rome has been assimilating more and more the character of ancient Babylon. And all the time she has been doing this, she has persecuted the true saints of God unto death, and has even exulted and delighted in her drunken orgy of blood. She has also constantly committed spiritual fornication with the governments of the earth by entering into unholy state-church alliances with them. But her final act of spiritual fornication will be when she enters into an unholy alliance with the kingdom of the Antichrist. He will use her only so far as it conduces to his own advancing glory, and then he will destroy her, and she shall reap of her own sowing, V16-18. Divine Justice, this!

Here once again we observe how that the Antichrist holds nothing sacred, but is a thorough-going utilitarian. He holds all things to be valued only according to their usefulness to him. This is so especially in religious matters, for his one crowning ambition is to fulfill the wish of his father. Lucifer said, "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High," Isa. 14:13 -14. The religious career of the Antichrist will be Satan’s final attempt to realize this dream, but it will fail as surely as all such ambition fails.

Thus the Antichrist’s religious career culminates in the very height of impiety— the blasphemous claim to be God Himself. And not only so, but the Antichrist will also enforce a universal worship of himself as god, and all that refuse will be put to death. Thus will the Luciferic dream of Isa. 14 to be like God, finally be fulfilled, but only for a short time "until the indignation be accomplished." Be thankful that all these things are only permitted to him by a sovereign God, Rev. 13:5-7. Note: "was given to him," which speaks of permission, appears four times.

See Chapter Three