Across the Old and New Testaments, several passages of Scripture describe a Satanically empowered world leader who will make war against Jesus, Israel, and the saints in the last days. This world leader is called the “Antichrist” or the “Beast.” He is the true “embodiment of evil.”1 He stands as one of the most fascinating and enigmatic figures in the Bible
Speculation about the identity of the Antichrist has persisted throughout the centuries. At different points in church history, individuals as varied as Nero, the Pope, and Adolf Hitler have been proposed to be the Antichrist.2 However, the fact that many of the Antichrist’s actions described in Scripture clearly lack historical fulfillment would point to a still future coming of this world leader. While the Bible doesn’t tell us the Antichrist’s identity, many key details can be gleaned about him by studying key texts from Daniel, Second Thessalonians, and Revelation. We can create a robust profile of the Antichrist by examining his nature, attributes, actions, and fate based on Scripture.
The Nature of the Antichrist
In exploring the nature of the Antichrist, the first thing to note is that he is a human being. Second Thessalonians 2:3 refers to the Antichrist as the coming “man of lawlessness.” The descriptions of the Antichrist or the Beast in Scripture do not represent a metaphor or a symbol, but rather a literal human man.
While the Antichrist has a human nature, Scripture makes it clear that he is also supernatural. Revelation 13:2 speaks of the Beast receiving power from the “Dragon” (which represents Satan). The Antichrist is described as coming according to the “working of Satan” (2 Thess 2:9). The Antichrist is not just an exceptionally clever or cunning man who devises a plan of world domination. He’s Satanically energized to make war against Christ, Israel, and the saints.
The Attributes of the Antichrist
Throughout the pages of Scripture, we are given a great deal of information about the Antichrist’s attributes. He is evil, powerful, prideful, deceitful, violent, of Roman descent, and the ultimate enemy of Christ.
Evil
The Apostle Paul gives the Antichrist the title of the “man of lawlessness” or “man of sin” (2 Thess. 2:3). His sinful opposition to God’s righteous law is a defining characteristic. The descriptions of his repulsive acts in Revelation makes it clear that he has rightfully earned his moniker.
Powerful
The Antichrist is represented as a horn in Daniel 7, which signifies power and strength.3 He will rise to prominence and become the leader of the whole world (Dan 11:36-45). Authority is given to the Beast over every tribe, people, nation, and language. The kings of the earth will bow to him and their armies will be at his command. He will make war on the saints and conquer them for a time (Rev 13:7).
Prideful
The Antichrist rejects God, Christ (1 John 2:22), and all other existing false religions (2 Thess 2:3). He utters horrible blasphemies against God (Rev 13:6). He demands that every person receive his mark or the number of his name (666) on their hand or forehead to operate in the world economy (Rev 13:16-18). He exalts himself to be worshipped by every person on earth (Rev 13:7-8). He will declare himself to be God and commit the Abomination of Desolation in the rebuilt temple (2 Thess 2:4).
Deceitful
Second John 1:7 clearly states that deceit is a key characteristic of antichrists. The ultimate Antichrist will deceive many with the help of his false prophet (Rev 19:20). He will deceive Israel by making a seven-year covenant with them and breaking it at the halfway point (Dan 9:27). The Antichrist is a liar and builds his kingdom on deception.
Violent
That the Antichrist is described as a “Beast” speaks of his ferocity and brutal nature. In Daniel 7, the Antichrist is typified as a terrifying, dreadful, and exceedingly strong beast with iron teeth that devours and stamps out everything in its path. The Antichrist will wage war against Israel and the saints. He will martyr many who will not take his mark or worship him (Rev. 13:7).
Roman
Daniel 9:26 seems to indicate that the Antichrist will be of Roman descent. The “prince who is to come” is said to come from the people who will destroy the city of Jerusalem and the sanctuary. Many would take this to be a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD, which was carried out by Rome.
The Ultimate Enemy of Christ
Revelation 19 details Christ returning to the earth in glory and the Antichrist is described as making war against Him. He will lead the kings of the earth and their vast armies in a frontal attack against the Lord. This is the culmination of the Antichrist’s kingdom and perfectly embodies his objective: to make war against Jesus.
The Actions of the Antichrist
The books of Revelation and Daniel give their readers a clear narrative about the actions of the Antichrist. He will seize world power, betray Israel, stage a false assassination and resurrection, demand worship, and make war against Israel and the saints.
Seizing World Power
Through the energizing power of Satan, the Antichrist will reign as the chief ruler amongst a confederacy of ten nations during the Great Tribulation (Dan. 7:23-25; Rev. 17:12-13). He will become the supreme ruler of the earth through diplomacy and political savvy (Rev. 6:2). He will create a false peace to position himself to strike his enemies.
Betraying Israel
The Antichrist will come to Israel as a protector and create a covenant of peace with Israel for seven years. However, at the half-way mark of the covenant, the Antichrist will betray Israel (Dan. 9:27). He will commit the Abomination of Desolation by setting himself up as God in Israel’s temple (Dan. 9:27; 2 Thess. 2:4). According to John MacArthur, this is “single most important sign…that three-and-a-half years of sheer affliction and hardship will descend on the world.”4
Staging a False Assassination and Resurrection
The Antichrist appears to be assassinated by receiving a fatal wound, yet he is somehow resurrected and returns to power (Rev 13:3). Whether this is trickery or is supernaturally powered by Satan, the Antichrist perversely mimics Jesus’ death and resurrection (Rev 13:12). All those whose names are not written in the Book of Life will marvel at the Antichrist because God has sent a strong delusion to come over them (2 Thess 2:9-12).
Demanding Worship
The Antichrist will mandate that he is to be worshipped as God. He will have a false prophet (called the “Second Beast”) who will establish a world religion worshipping the Antichrist and Satan. All must worship the Beast or be executed (Rev 13:11-18).
Making War Against Israel and the Saints
The Antichrist will seek to destroy Israel and those who have converted to Christ during the Great Tribulation. He will kill many for not worshipping him and not receiving his mark (Dan 7:25; Rev 13:7). He will assemble the armies of the world against Jerusalem to destroy God’s people once and for all (Rev 16:12-16).
The Fate of the Antichrist
Despite the Antichrist’s ferocity and seemingly limitless displays of power, Scripture makes it quite clear that he will not be victorious. At the end of the Great Tribulation, the Antichrist will wage war on Jesus. He will assemble the armies of the world and attack Christ in the final battle of the war of Armageddon. However, the Antichrist and his forces will be overwhelmingly conquered by Christ. All rebels in the Antichrist’s army will be graphically executed by Jesus (Zech 14:12; Rev 19:21).
As for the Antichrist himself, Jesus will “kill him with the breath of his mouth” and “bring him to nothing” by his appearance (2 Thess. 2:8). Revelation 19:20 reveals the Antichrist’s ultimate fate: he will be thrown into the lake of fire that burns forever. He will remain burning in judgement for eternity. After the Antichrist is killed and his rebellion is crushed, Jesus Christ will reign eternally as the conquering King (Dan 7:27).
Conclusion
While Scripture does not divulge the identity of the Antichrist, it does reveal many key details that allow us to create a robust profile of him. Regarding his nature, he is a literal person who is empowered by Satan and not a metaphor or symbol. In regard to his attributes, he is evil, powerful, prideful, deceitful, violent, of Roman descent, and the ultimate enemy of Christ.
As he seeks to execute Satan’s agenda, his actions include seizing world power, betraying Israel by creating and breaking a covenant with them, staging a false assassination and resurrection, demanding to be worshipped by the world, and waging war against Israel and the saints. His fate is sealed. His rebellion will come to an end when Jesus destroys him and sends him to be tormented in the lake of fire forever. Despite the Antichrist’s horrific reign of terror, he is merely a footnote in God’s eternal plan to establish Christ’s everlasting kingdom.
NOTES
1John MacArthur and Richard Mayhue, Biblical Doctrine (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2017), 904.
2Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2020), 1357.
3John MacArthur, Because the Time is Near (Chicago: Moody, 2007), 215.
4John MacArthur, The Second Coming (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1999), 112.
