The Antichrists

“And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” (1 John 4:3)

“And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders” (2 Thessalonians 2:8-9)

“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.” (Revelation 13:16-17)

These three passages tell us that the spirit/attitude of opposing God and denying the truth about Jesus Christ has been in this world for a very long time. Yet this spirit and attitude, which shows up in the character and behavior of specific individuals throughout the centuries, will one day reach its full development in a particular person. This person will have a close association with Satan and be able to exhibit extraordinary feats, even obtaining control over economic, political, and military aspects of the world.

History tells about many who have obtained significant control over parts of the world. Certain leaders of the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Romans all obtained control over people and significant land area. In the 20^th century, three men stand out as ruthless dictators with significant control and power: Adolf Hitler (Germany), Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union), and Mao Zedong [Mao Tse Tung] (China). Although Hitler usually gets the most attention, the most ruthless and most powerful of these three was Stalin. Hitler was in power for no more than 15 years. Stalin controlled the Soviet Union for over 30 years. Mao ruled China for about 27 years, but China was not a world power during his time. Stalin’s Soviet Union was a major military and political power during Stalin’s time.

Biographies of Stalin and books about the Soviet Gulags (prison camps) detail the horror, death, and destruction that Stalin imposed upon the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Reading Solzhenitsyn’s Gulag Archipelago opens our eyes to the depths to which human depravity can go. They also show the stupidity and senselessness of totalitarian government systems. Stalin scholars believe his policies resulted in at least 20 million deaths and possibly as much as 60 million.

I mention this because all of the dictators and totalitarian governments throughout history are only a preview of what is coming. Satan has been using dictators as experiments to prepare for his final attack on God, learning from his mistakes and fine-tuning his approach for the Tribulation years. The antichrist will be the ultimate dictator, the ultimate totalitarian government, the ultimate persecutor, the ultimate killer. Satan is not omniscient and has to learn. Satan existed before God created Adam and Eve, so he has learned about people, their strengths and their weaknesses. He has learned how to control and how to influence. He has learned what kind of person is best suited for the ultimate deception and control and will make sure that the person he chooses is such a person.

Even now, world culture is preparing for certain aspects of antichrist control. For example, the “mark” of Revelation 3:17 will seem insignificant compared to the willingness of more and more people to accept tattoos. The failure of today’s politicians to solve fundamental problems will only increase widespread disillusionment, creating a desire to find someone to solve everything. Technology is only now becoming available to connect the entire world through cell phones and social media and to track and locate anyone no matter where they are. The increase of security cameras almost everywhere now make possible following anyone who lives in the larger cities. The dozens of sophisticated satellites can photograph people in more rural areas. The accelerating use of digital money and the sharp decline in using cash now make control over economies and personal finances easier. Imagine not being able to access your social security check or be eligible for health insurance or prescriptions unless you agree to certain policies. Additionally, the often repeated desire for people and communities to “come together” is an attitude that the antichrist will effectively use to bring himself to power.

We are near the point where an antichrist can have the control that people such as Hitler, Stalin, and Mao only dreamed of. Reading books such as Solzhenitsyn’s Gulag and other accounts of totalitarianism and persecution can help us understand what is coming and what is already happening in some countries. China is now re-implementing its control and persecution of Christians, Muslims, and other religious groups after a brief period of toleration. What we see happening in China, North Korea, and some other countries is a sample of what the antichrist will do. Understanding these situations and the specifics of what is happening can help us pray more effectively for other Christians and also for ourselves, since we do not know how difficult our specific circumstances will be before the Rapture of 1 Thessalonians 4 occurs.

Satan is preparing for his ultimate deception. Yet I wonder to what extent Christians today in America are prepared for this event or even care to think seriously about the implications of what we say we believe. Many Christians are minimally involved in a local church, preferring their own interests to the work of the gospel. The emphasis in many churches on entertainment from a stage rather than Bible preaching is producing a generation of Christians unprepared for the deceptions of an antichrist. The growing pressure to conform to unbiblical thinking about sexuality will motivate many churches to “rethink” their doctrinal statements in order to avoid problems. One large church in my community will not publicly discuss the issue of female pastors because the leaders of the church know the issue will split the church. If they will not discuss that issue, then how can they possibly discuss homosexual and transgender issues?

The dictators and persecutions of the past are the preview for Satan’s final attack on God. Perhaps you can invest some time in Solzhenitsyn’s Gulag or other accounts of persecution and repression. At a minimum they will help us pray for those Christians today who are jailed and persecuted and prepare us for the future.

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Wally Morris is pastor of Charity Baptist Church in Huntington, IN. The church blogsite is amomentofcharity.blogspot.com. He has also published A Time To Die: A Biblical Look At End-Of-Life Issues by Ambassador International.