Because this is such an important sign, I will spend also this article
on what other passages in Scripture say about Antichrist. I refer to two
such passages: II Thessalonians 2:1-12, and the whole of Revelation 13.
Let’s take a look at II Thessalonians 2 first of all. I would like to
have you read it yourself at this point, for it is really too long to
quote fully.
The Thessalonians were of the opinion that Christ would come at any
moment. Some were so convinced of this that they had even quit their
jobs, thinking that it was useless to work anymore since they would be
taken into heaven in a very short time. But Paul tells them that they
must not do such things, for some important events must take place
before Christ returns. And one of those events is that the “man of sin
[shall] be revealed, the son of perdition” (3).
There are several things said about Antichrist in this passage. The
first description to notice is that he is “the man of sin.” He is the
embodiment of all evil in all its many forms as it manifested itself
throughout history. Sin develops over the whole of history, beginning
with the fall of Adam and Eve. Sin becomes more wide-spread, more
terrible, more evil. Sin develops because man must and does subdue the
earth. But as he finds wealth, powers and treasures in the earth, he
uses them all to sin. This discovery of what God has put in the creation
goes on through all history, for new treasures and powers are still
being discovered.
Think of how man discovered the power of water and the power of wind.
He has used these powers for himself. He harnesses them and puts them to
use. The wicked world does this only to sin more and more. The powers
of the steam and its usefulness are developed. Oil and gas are
discovered and put to use, so that now the world’s economy is dependent
on fossil fuels. Electricity is discovered and the whole world uses it.
Now the power of the atom has been unlocked and look at what the world
uses this power for – bombs.
As man harnesses these powers, he makes many inventions: TVs, cars,
dishwashers, home lights, trains, airplanes – the list could go on and
on. Those inventions are not in themselves sins and the people of
God may and can use them to serve God. But the wicked use them all to
sin and to establish a kingdom in this world that will push God out of
his own creation and put Satan on the throne of the universe.
Antichrist is “the man of sin.” He will gather all the powers of the
creation to himself, rule over the whole world, and direct the wicked to
use these powers to establish a kingdom that is his. By the time
Antichrist rules, every power of the creation will be discovered and
every possible invention made; and so every possible sin will have been
committed and the wicked world will not be able to find any more ways to
sin.
The Antichrist will bring sin to its fullest manifestation.
The text in II Thessalonians also speak of Antichrist as one “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, showing
himself that he is God” (6). This description of Antichrist comes very
close to Jesus’ description of the abomination of desolation that stands
in the holy place.
In other words, Antichrist will claim to be divine. He will claim that
he is the Messiah who promised to come again. He will try to prove his
claim by doing miracles – as Jesus did (9). He will therefore, insist
that all men worship him – just as Nebuchadnezzar insisted all men
worship him, and Darius insisted that all men pray only to him; and as
the Caesars of Rome claimed to be divine. The three friends of Daniel
were thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing; Daniel was thrown into
the lions’ den for refusing. The Christians were killed in the Coliseum
for refusing.
What are you going to do when Antichrist demands the same from you?
Finally, the text says that most men will follow after Antichrist,
being deceived by him that he is divine (9-11). But God will also send
them “a strong delusion that they should believe a lie” (11). But the
passage also tells us what was the reason why God sent them strong
delusion: “because they received not the love of the truth, that they
might be saved” (10). The love of the truth. The text does not
say they are given a spirit of delusion because they forsook the truth –
although that is true too. Prior to their forsaking the truth, they did
not love the truth. They confessed it. They said they believed it. They claimed to know it. But they did not love it!
And that makes the whole question very personal and immediate. Do you
love the truth? Do you love it more than anything. Will you forsake all
for the truth? Will you suffer persecution, as Daniel and his three
friends did, for the truth? Will you die for it – as thousands of
martyrs died for it? Will you? Will you willingly lose your job? Will
you lose your home, your place to live? Will you suffer shame and
torture? Will you flee to the jungles for the sake of the truth? Will
you?
Those are questions Christ confronts us with. Can we say, “Yes, Lord;
by thy grace we will. We love thy truth.” We must answer the question
now. It cannot be postponed.
Prof. Herman Hanko
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