Meaning Of The Antichrist

"Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son." 1 John 2:22

Jesus Christ came to save us from our sins and to show us what our Heavenly Father is really like.

The Bible teaches that the antichrist will come and deceive multitudes, making them believe that they can be saved in their sins; his actions will show the world what his father is like. The word 'antichrist' in the new testament Greek language means 'an opponent of the Messiah.' The dictionary also gives us the meaning of the two words 'anti' and 'christos.' The word 'anti' means an opponent and substitute while the word 'christos' means the 'messiah' or one anointed to religious office. Putting these definitions together we find that the antichrist, while being opposed to Christ, is not openly opposed, but rather a deceiver and substitute for Christ who acts as if he is serving Christ.

In other words, the antichrist is one who tries to take the place of Christ and overrule His authority in religious matters, while claiming to be His servant.

The details of the visions of the little horn of Daniel 7 and the first beast of Revelation 13 reveal the antichrist of Bible prophecy.

Daniel's Vision

John's Vision

"Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night and behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea." "And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another." "The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it." "And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh." "After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it." "After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns." "I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things." Daniel 7:2-8 "I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them" Daniel 7:21 "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." "And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time." Daniel 7:24-25

"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 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, and great authority." Revelation 13:1-2 "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." "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." Revelation 13:3-8 "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." "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six." Revelation 13:17-18

1. The beasts arise 'out of the sea', 'up from the sea'	Rev. 13:1, Daniel 7:3
2. 'like unto a leopard', 'another, like a leopard'	Rev. 13:2, Daniel 7:6
3. 'feet of a bear', 'like to a bear'	Rev. 13:2, Daniel 7:5
4. 'mouth of a lion', 'was like a lion'	Rev. 13:2, Daniel 7:4
5. 'the dragon', 'a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible'	Rev. 13:2, Daniel 7:7
6. 'seven heads', (the four beasts have a total of 7 heads)	Rev. 13:1, Daniel 7:4-7
7. 'ten horns', 'it had ten horns'	Rev. 13:1, Daniel 7:7
8. 'forty and two months', 'time, times, and dividing of time'	Rev. 13:5, Daniel 7:25
9. 'number of a man', 'eyes of a man'	Rev. 13:18, Daniel 7:8
10. 'blasphemy against God', 'speak great words'	Rev. 13:5-6, Daniel 7:8, 20, 25
11.'make war with the saints', 'made war with the saints'	Rev. 13:2, Daniel 7:21
12. 'gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority', "fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly... and it had ten horns.'	Rev. 13:2, Daniel 7:7
13. 'wounded to death'	Rev. 13:3
14. 'and his deadly wound was healed'	Rev. 13:3
15. 'all the world wondered ... and they worshipped the beast', "shall be diverse"	Rev. 13:3-4, Daniel 7:24

Through the books of Revelation and Daniel God gives us a thorough description of the antichrist of Bible prophecy. It is important to identify the antichrist because from it will come the sign, or "mark", of it's authority. Against this mark, "the mark of the beast", or the mark of the authority of the antichrist, comes one of the Bible's strongest prohibitions.

"And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:" Revelation 14:9-10

16. 'And he causeth all, to receive a mark', 'think to change times and laws:'

Rev. 13:15-17, Daniel 7:25 (see also Romans 6:16)