The Primary Signs Of Jesus' Return - Part 2 Series

9. The Rise of the Antichrist

The word "Antichrist" is used seven times in the Bible (See 1 John 2:22). The Antichrist emerges from this alliance (Daniel 7:24; 9:26). The first Roman Empire destroyed the Jerusalem Temple in 70 AD, so the Antichrist will likely come from a renewed Roman Empire. He will work together with the false prophet. The Bible does not explain how he will gain his leadership and power, but it does speak about the spirit and the person of the Antichrist, who is a biological male and not a super being or a demon (Daniel 11:37; 2 Thessalonians 2:3).

The Antichrist is known in the Bible primarily as the Beast (Revelation 11:7,13:1) as well as the "abomination of desolation" (Matthew 24:15), the bloody and deceitful man (Psalms 5:6), the Wicked One (Psalms 10:3-4), the Man of the Earth (Psalms 10:18), the Mighty Man (Psalms 52:1), the Enemy (Psalms 55:3), the Adversary (Psalm 74:10), the Spoiler (Isaiah 16:4), the Profane and Wicked Prince (Ezekiel 21:25), the Little Horn (Daniel 7:8), the Prince that shall come (Daniel 9:26), the Vile Person (Daniel 11:21), the Willful King (Daniel 11:36), the Man of Sin (2 Thessalonians 2:3), the Son of Perdition (2 Thessalonians 2:3), and the Lawless One (2 Thessalonians 2:9).

When the seven-year Tribulation period begins, four horsemen will appear with the Antichrist riding a white horse carrying a bow without arrows and wearing a crown as a diplomatic conqueror (Revelation 6:1-2). He will work with a 'prophet' and perform public miracles by the power of the evil one, which will deceive the people of the Earth (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10). He will bring peace and economic stability to the whole Earth unlike anyone has seen before for 42 months and appear to solve all the problems of the world, including allowing the Third Temple to be built in Jerusalem, and the people of the world will become united (Daniel 9:27,12:11; Matthew 21:21; 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12; Revelation 13:5-7,13,16-17). It will seem as if Heaven came to Earth.

At the end of the first 42 months begins the Great Tribulation, the Antichrist will have miraculous healing from a deadly wound and then claim to be God demanding to be worshipped as he actively and openly blasphemes the Creator of all things (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; Revelation 13:6,12-4).

10. The False Prophet

The false prophet is called the "second beast" (Revelation 13:11-15,16:13,19:20,20:10). He joins the Antichrist, and the devil, who empowers both of them to become an unholy trinity. He will be an extraordinary speaker, and his mission will be to deceive all the people of the Earth, forcing them to worship the Antichrist (Revelation 12:9,12). He will use miraculous signs and wonders, including fire from the sky, to establish their credibility (Revelation 13:14). The people of the Earth will make an idol in the image of the Antichrist and worship it just as the people made a Golden Calf while Moses was with God on the mountain called Mount Sinai (Exodus 32:1-2; Revelation 13:15).

11. Mark of the Antichrist

At the beginning of the Great Tribulation period, people will be forced to take a 'mark' of the Antichrist, and those who do not will be persecuted and killed, which will make it known to everyone that he is the Anti-Christ Jesus warned of (Daniel 12:11; Matthew 21:21; Revelation 20:4). He will reveal his true arrogant self, and at the end of the Great Tribulation, will cause all of the armies of the Earth to fight against Jesus and His army, and defile the Third Temple (Revelation 19:19). However, they will lose the battle! (See Daniel 7:11; Psalm 2:1-5; Isaiah 45:9; Revelation 19:20-21).

Taking the 'mark' of the Antichrist is a reprehensible and blasphemous act of willful defiance against God, essentially worshipping satan (Revelation 13:15-16). The word "mark" in Greek is 'charágmatos' and comes from the word' charássœ,' which means to carve; to engrave, or sculpture something, an impression, inscription, or an etched, branded, mark, or symbol, as on an animal, coin, statue, or false idol (See Acts 17:29).

In antiquity, a 'mark' was branded on the right hand or the forehead, such as on an enslaved person, to show others they were their master's property and upon those who were willingly branded in a temple with the symbol of their deity. In Islam, the mark of the Antichrist (aka Bismillah) is a line drawn on the forehead and must be worn on the right arm/hand of every Muslim at Judgment and distinguishes them from non-believers (Tirmuthi 2369).

There is a growing belief that the "false Prophet" will be the 'Isa' of Islam. The final world empire will actually be the "Beast," which is the one who fills the office of the Caliph (Mahdi?) after a Caliphate comprised of 10 Islamic nations is established (See Daniel 7:11; Revelation 17:9-11; 19:20; Quran 27:82).