5. The Antichrist

Decoding Revelation:
5. The Rise of Antichrist
by Dr. Dieter Thom

Direct Mention of the Antichrist
The English word ‘antichrist’ comes from the Greek antichristos. The Greek
term anti means ‘to be against’ and/or ‘to take the place of’. There are only
four direct occurrences of the word ‘antichrist’ in Scripture. Interestingly,
every one of these occurs in John’s letters (1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 7).
18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the
Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we
know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of
us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they
went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. 20
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21 I
have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you
know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is a liar but he who denies
that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
(1 John 2:18-22)
NKJV Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc .Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved.

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Commentary on 1 John 2:18-22
The Antichrist is an individual that had not yet come in John’s time, but was
still expected to come. Many antichrists had already come in John’s time, in a
generic sense of being ‘against Christ’ or specifically claiming to be ‘the
Christ’. This is an indication that it is “the last hour” (the last days), obviously
not a literal hour. The antichrists were initially professing Christians that fell
away from the faith and denied that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah). The
Antichrist will come from a Christian background, but reject the faith.
Muslims accept Jesus as the Jewish Messiah (as well as His virgin birth,
sinless life and ascension to heaven), so the Antichrist cannot become a
Muslim. The Pope teaches the pre-incarnate existence of Jesus and that Jesus
is the Christ, so the Pope or a Roman Catholic cannot be the antichrist.
Buddhists believe in the manifestations of ‘Christs’, but they do not believe
that Jesus is (the one and only) Christ. The Antichrist could become a
Buddhist. In fact, he could be identified as the next Dalai Lama.
The Antichrist might acknowledge God the Father, but cannot acknowledge
that Jesus is the Son of God. Hence, he denies his divine and pre-incarnate
existence with the Father. Ultimately he will also claim to be god.

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1 John 4:1 - 3

1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether
they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the
world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that
confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and
every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the
flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which
you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. (1
John 4:1-3)
The antichrist spirit denies that Jesus has come in the flesh i.e. the
incarnation. This could be that it denies the physical existence of
Jesus completely, but more likely that it denies that He is the only
God incarnate, and could accept Him as simply a prophet, good man
or one of the many manifestations of the christ.

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2 John 7 - 9
7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, who do not
confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and
an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those
things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. 9
Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ
does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has
both the Father and the Son. (2 John 7 – 9)
According to this passage we can deduce that the incarnation is a
very important part of “the doctrine of Christ”, and those that do
not believe in it, are not saved. This includes Jehovah’s Witnesses,
Mormons and other cults. The antichrist spirit was already in the
world when John wrote these words, but there seems to have been
a clear expectation in the early church that a specific, personal
antichrist was still to come. However, there are other less clear
scriptures that also seem to indirectly apply to the ‘antichrist’.

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Indirect References to Antichrist/Christ
Revelation Chapter 6
1 NOW I saw when the Lamb
opened one of the seals; and I
heard one of the four living
creatures saying with a voice like
thunder, “Come and see.”
2 And I looked, and behold, a
white horse. He who sat on it had
a bow; and a crown was given to
him, and he went out conquering
and to conquer.

Revelation Chapter 19
11 Now I saw heaven opened,
and behold, a white horse. And
He who sat on him was called
Faithful and True, and in
righteousness He judges and
makes war.
12 His eyes were like a flame of
fire, and on His head were many
crowns. He had a name written
that no one knew except Himself.
13 He was clothed with a robe
dipped in blood, and His name is
called The Word of God.


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Antichrist/Christ

The two persons mentioned in Rev. 6:1&2 (the Lamb and the rider) are
different people. The Lamb opens the first seal (vs 1). The horse is white,
but the rider’s colour is not mentioned (vs 2). The Lamb is not said to be
the rider. If he were, it would say so. The rider has a bow, a weapon of war
(vs 2). He is given, so does not naturally have, a crown. He rides out to
conquer. The Lamb is Christ. The rider is the antichrist. The first Seal is
thus opened as the first Seal of the Judgment of God.
The rider in Rev. 19:11 is clearly Jesus. The horse is white, but the rider
is wearing clothes dipped in blood (vs 11). Clearly He is the Lamb,
Faithful and True. With justice he judges and goes to war. He has several
crowns on His head. He rides out to conquer and RULE the nations. The
rider, in this case, is Jesus.
There are some similarities and differences between the two riders on
white horses. The first is the Antichrist the False Messiah, and the second
is the Christ, the true Messiah, hence the white horse as symbolism for
both. The first inaugurates the Great Tribulation and the second ends it.
The second will destroy the first.

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2 Thessalonians 2:1 – 5.

“1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our
gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled,
either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had
come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the
falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4
who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so
that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 5 Do you
not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?” (2Thes.2:1-5)
Before the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus there will be a great “falling away” from
the faith. This seems to be connected to the falling away of the antichrists of 1 John
who deny the exclusive deity of Christ. Then the “man of sin is revealed”. He
certainly is the ultimate antichrist. He is called “the son of perdition (hell)”, as
opposed to (by implication) the “Son of God”. The contrast seems clearly to be
between the Christ and the antichrist. He is described as “the one opposing and
exalting himself over everything being called God, or object of worship”. This
individual claims deity for himself and is against any other god of any other religion.
He is said “to sit in the temple of God as God, setting forth himself, that he is God”.
The Jewish temple would have to be rebuilt.

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A Very Likely Candidate for Antichrist
Are there people around today that claim to be gods? The
Hindu and Buddhist gurus do. More specifically the Dalai
Lama, the head of the Buddhists and the deposed ruler of
Tibet, has a very special claim to Godhood. He is getting
old and will likely die very soon. Who will replace him?
Traditionally the Dalai Lama has always been Tibetan, but
the next Dalai Lama could be a European. Which is the
largest and most dominant country in Europe? Germany.
Who is the most likely candidate in Germany? The deposed
German royalty. Could one of these be the god-king that
will become the Antichrist? Of course, if this is true, then
the Dalai Lama must die first, before the Antichrist is born.

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Determining the identity of Antichrist

Does the Bible give us some clues about the identity of the Antichrist?
We need to start in the Old Testament, which is the foundation of the
New Testament. Let us first have a look at some foundational passages
in the Book of Daniel. We need to understand the development of
global kingdoms in history as portrayed in the Bible. We also need to
understand what Biblical prophecy has already been fulfilled. Futurists
often err on the side of not seeing which prophecy has already been
fulfilled, and historicists often force fulfillment of prophecies that are
yet to be fulfilled.
The table below outlines the four major historical global powers
prophetically described in the figurative imagery of the Book of Daniel.
The first three columns look at different passages and the last two
columns explain them. Each row shows the connection.

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Daniel’s Big 4 Historical Global Powers
Man
2:31 – 45.
2:37&38
Gold Head
2:39a Silver
Belly & Arms
2:39b Bronze
Belly & Thigh
2:40 Iron
Legs & Feet

Beast
Ram & Goat
7:1 – 27.
8:1 – 27.
7:4 Lion with
Eagle's wings
7:5 Bear that is
8:20 Ram
Devouring flesh
Two Horns
7:6 Leopard with
8:21
4 wings & heads
Male Goat
7:23&24 Terrible
10 horns & iron
teeth

2:41-43 Iron/Clay
Feet & Toes

7:20-22 The Little
Horn: Arrogant
and Haughty

Empire
Global Power
Babylonian
626 – 539 BC
Medo-Persian
539 – 323 BC
Greek
323 BC to 146 BC
Roman
145 BC–AD 476
Byzantine Empire
324 – 1453 AD
Holy Roman Empire
800 – 1806 AD
Western and Eastern
Integration into European
Union of 2000 – 2060 AD


Major Figures
Nebuchadnezzar
Cyrus, Darius,
(Arta)Xerxes
Alexander the Great
Julius Caesar
Constantine
Eastern Europe
Orthodox
Western Europe
Roman Catholic
Antichrist the
President of the
European Union
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Who is the Dragon? (Rev. 12:1 – 17)

3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads
and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 4 His tail drew a third of the stars of
heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready
to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born... 7 And war broke out in heaven:
Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they
did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was
cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was
cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in
heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His
Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and
night, has been cast down…12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe
to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great
wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” 13 Now when the dragon saw that he had
been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. 14 But the
woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her
place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of
the serpent. 15 So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman,
that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. 16 But the earth helped the woman,
and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out
of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with
the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus
Christ.

11/30/2013

The Dragon (Rev. 12:1 – 17)
The dragon clearly represents Satan, the leader of the fallen angels. However, Satan
takes on a particular form in this passage.
The seven hills represent the seven hills of Rome. The seven crowns represent seven
kings or the seven major kingdoms. Ten horns represent the ten kingdoms of the
Roman Empire and the ten kings of the Germanic Barbarian tribes that destroyed
the Roman Empire in the fifth century. This Roman Empire became the Holy
Roman Empire and modern Europe.
The child represents Jesus. The woman represents the Church, in the Old Testament
(Spiritual Israel) and New Testament (Jewish and Gentile believers together in the
same faith, spiritual Israel).
How does God protect His Church against the Dragon? In the wilderness.
Remember this for when the Great Tribulation comes. This is a clue from God to
believers on how to survive. When the time comes, get out of the cities, because
several passages warn that the cities of the world will collapse. The answer: buy
farmland and start developing this as a rural retreat for your family and the family of
God. Don’t sell everything you have just yet, but watch for the signs of the times.

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Who is the First Beast of Revelation?
“1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the
sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns,
and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the beast which I saw was
like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the
mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great
authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded,
and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed
the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast;
and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to
make war with him?” 5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and
blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two
months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to
blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was
granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And
authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. 8 All
who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been
written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world.(Rev. 13:1-8)

11/30/2013

The First Beast of Revelation
Many commentators agree that the first beast represents the entity that
was Rome, became the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation
(which is its historical and full name), and eventually modern Europe.
Notice that Germany was and still is the controlling power of Europe.
Most of the languages of Europe are classed as ‘Germanic’ in academia.
The Holy Roman Empire was founded by Charlemagne in 800 A. D., who
was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the Pope in Rome. The Roman
Catholic Church was always the spiritual force behind the Holy Roman
Empire. Protestantism became nominally involved rather late. The seven
hills represent the seven hills of Rome. This is commonly accepted by
most commentators. The seven crowns represent seven kings, probably
the electors of the Holy Roman Empire. Ten horns with ten crowns
represent the ten kings of the Germanic Barbarian tribes that destroyed
the Roman Empire in the fourth century. They were the forerunners of
modern Germany and Europe.

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Who is the Scarlet Beast ?

3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a
woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of
blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns…8 The beast that
you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and
go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose
names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the
world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. 9
“Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven
mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven
kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And
when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was,
and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going
to perdition. 12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who
have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one
hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will
give their power and authority to the beast. (Rev. 17:3, 8-13)

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The Scarlet Beast

The Scarlet Beast is a different form of the First Beast. The European Union is the
modern heir to the Holy Roman Empire. The seven hills represent the seven hills of
Rome. This is a consistent prophetic indicator to guide us in the identities of the beasts
throughout Scripture. The seven crowns likely represent the Electors of the Holy
Roman Empire. One of these electors that received a ‘deathly wound’, will be
revived. One of the members of the defunct royal houses of Europe will rise again.
The ten heads represent the ten countries of the Western European Union, which
functioned officially as a separate political entity and parliament until recently, but
which still unofficially controls Europe. The European Union President is the secular
heir to the historical role played by the Holy Roman Emperor. The Antichrist will rise
to power to become the President of the European Union.
Clearly, the antichrist, the ‘man of sin’, and the first and scarlet beasts are one and the
same Antichrist. To better understand the connection between the three, we must
understand the history of the Roman Empire, which still exists today. The Roman
Empire has existed in different forms for more than three millennia (3000 years).

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The Holy Roman Empire and Europe
The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation was founded in 800 AD when the Pope
crowned Charlemagne as the Holy Roman Emperor. Malcolm Cohen’s From Rome to Holy
Roman Empire (2012) shows how the Holy Roman Empire was the natural successor of the
Western Roman Empire. There were 7 prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire.
The 3 Spiritual Electors are all Roman Catholic Archbishops. The Elector of Mainz (the
Arch-Chancellor of Germany) is currently Cardinal Karl Lehmann. The Elector of Trier
(the Arch-Chancellor of Burgundy/France) is currently Cardinal Stephan Ackermann. The
Elector of Cologne (Arch-Chancellor of Italy) is currently Cardinal Joachim Meisner.
The 4 Secular Electors are Bohemia, Palatine, Saxony, and the Brandenburg Rulers. The
King of Bohemia became the Habsburg Dynasty, the historical Kings of Austria and Holy
Roman Emperor, headed by Karl von Habsburg. The Count Palatine of the Rhine became
the Duke of Bavaria, the title of Franz von Bayern. The titles Duke of Saxony and the
Margrave of Brandenburg became the King of Prussia, the title of Georg Friedrich von
Hohenzollern.The Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg is Ernst August of Hanover.
I believe an elector of the Holy Roman Empire will become the Antichrist.The Holy
Roman Empire has always been ‘antichrist’, as it has persecuted Christians for centuries,
including the Waldenses and Anabaptists. The last Holy Roman Emperor, Francis II, was
forced to abdicate in 1806 by Napoleon, but the Holy Roman Empire was never abolished
by itself and continues to this day. After two World Wars, the European Union became the
natural successor to the Holy Roman Empire and the final form of the Roman Empire.

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Satan’s Seat Today

12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, “These things
says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 “I know your works,
and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to
My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas
was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan
dwells.” (Rev. 2:12-13)
This passage mentions “Satan’s throne’ or “where Satan dwells”. This is
quite a significant statement. The ancient Greek city of Pergamon or
Pergamum (in modern day Aeolis, Turkey) was the capital city of the
Kingdom of Pergamon under the Attalid dynasty during the Hellenistic
period (281 – 133 BC). The Great Altar of Pergamon was dedicated to
Zeus, whom John equates with Satan. In 1886 the German engineer
Carl Humann moved it to the Pergamon Museum on Berlin’s Museum
Island. It is still there. The Altar was the inspiration for Albert Speer’s
design of the Zeppelin Tribune at Nuremburg, which became a venue
for Nazi rallies. Satan’s Seat therefore symbolizes German power.

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Summary
 The book of Revelation represents the antichrist in 3 slightly

different ways: the dragon, the first beast and the scarlet beast.
Chapters 12, 13 and 17 are inextricably linked and build on
each other.
 In the next section we look at the global gospel.


11/30/2013

5. The Antichrist

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5. The Antichrist