The Ascent of the Beast

To identify the Antichrist, we must first understand what the relevant passages of the Bible say about him, his methods, and his objectives.

The subject of the Antichrist raises many questions. Who is he? When will he appear? How will we recognize him? In popular culture, he is a global political leader who uses military might to subjugate other nations and attack the modern nation of Israel.

The Bible foresees a malevolent end-time figure determined to deceive the followers of Jesus, causing as many believers as possible to abandon the true faith and betray fellow Christians. But the Scriptures also present this deceiver as the final product of a Satanic conspiracy that has spanned human history.

• “Then many will be offended and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise, and they will deceive many. And because lawlessness will increase, the love of the many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end, he will be saved” – (Matthew 24:10-13).

• “The hour is coming that whoever kills you will think that he is offering divine service to God” – (John 16:2).

[Stormy Sea - Photo by Johannes Plenio (Munich) on Unsplash]

The goal of the Devil is to destroy the Church of Jesus Christ. This effort has been underway for thousands of years and involves much more than just one man or government that appears at the end of the age.

This does not mean that the rise of the Antichrist is cyclical, that it is a phenomenon that repeats time and again in history. There was a beginning point to this rebellion against God, and there will be a decisive conclusion to this conflict on the Day of the Lord.

This plot will intensify as the end grows near, and it will climax just before the arrival of Jesus. On that final day, the Day of the Lord, Christ will destroy “the Man without law, the Son of Destruction” - (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12).

The Church has been flooded with predictions about the Antichrist over many centuries. He has been identified with several Roman emperors, the Pope, Napoleon, Hitler, Stalin, and other political figures. Plausible arguments were offered to support these theories. Nevertheless, not one of these proposed candidates ever became the world-dominating Beast or the Antichrist.

The several terms used for this man include ‘Antichrist’, ‘the Man without law’, ‘the Son of Destruction’, and ‘the Beast’. Does each name refer to the same individual? There is no direct literary link, for example, between John’s term ‘Antichrists’ in the plural number of his first epistle and the Beast from the Sea of the Book of Revelation. The identification of the term ‘the antichrist’ with ‘the Beast’ is a common assumption. However, the term ‘antichrist’ only appears in two of John’s letters, and nowhere else in the Bible – (1 John 2:18-22, 4:3, 2 John 1:7).

The language used by the authors of the Bible to describe this evil man is from the Book of Daniel and its visions of the Little Horn, “the king of vehement countenance” – (Daniel 8:9, 8:22-25).

• “After this, I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrible and powerful, and strong exceedingly. And it had great iron teeth. It devoured and shattered in pieces, and trampled the rest with its feet. And it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it. And it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and behold, there ascended among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things” – (Daniel 7:7-8).

• “And I saw one of his heads as though it had been struck to death. And his stroke of death was healed. And the whole earth wondered after the beast. <…> And there was given to the Beast a mouth speaking great things and slanders. And there was given to him authority to continue forty and two months” – (Revelation 13:3-5).

The New Testament does not simply quote passages from the Hebrew Bible verbatim. The writers of the New Testament apply the Old Testament in the light of what God has done through Jesus Christ, and often in unexpected ways.

In the Book of Revelation, John sees the Beast “rising from the Sea.” He describes the arrival of this figure using a Greek participle in the present tense, which signifies an ongoing action. John saw the Beast as it was rising from the sea. The prophet saw a process, not a one-time event– (Daniel 7:1-8, Revelation 13:1-5).

The Beast from the Sea has “seven heads,” which, we are told later, represent “seven mountains.” The seven mountains, in turn, symbolize seven kings or kingdoms. By the first century, five of these regimes had “fallen,” one was in power when John wrote the Book of Revelation, and the final or seventh kingdom is “yet to come.” The narrative of Revelation concerns more than just one final empire at the end of the age - (Revelation 13:1-5, 17:8-11).

John uses the characteristics of the four beasts seen by the prophet Daniel as they rose one after the other from the sea to describe the single beast that he saw. In the Book of Daniel, the four beasts represent four successive kingdoms. In contrast, John saw only one beast, but it incorporated the animal features of all four of Daniel’s beasts.

John lists the four beasts in reverse order from how they are presented by Daniel, as if John were reading the history of world empires in reverse, starting from the present rather than the beginning – (Daniel 7:1-8).

• “And the beast that I saw was like 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 it his power and his throne and great authority” – (Revelation 13:2. Compare Daniel 7:1-8).

THE ANCIENT STORY

In the first verses of the Book of Daniel, the prophet links the Neo-Babylonian incarnation of the World Empire to “the Land of Shinar,” the ancient kingdom of Sumer from which Babylon originated. The kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar was the latest version of the original attempt to impose a global government.

In the Book of Genesis, we find the first serious attempt to unite humanity under one government when the kingdom of Babel gathered all nations, peoples, and tongues to the plain of Mesopotamia and erected a great tower, a story that is echoed in the Book of Daniel:

• “And the whole earth was of one tongue and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar. And they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime for mortar. And they said, Come, let us build us a city, and erect a tower, the top of which may reach the heavens, and let us make us a name, so that we are not scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth” - (Genesis 11:1-4).

• “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, came Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God. And he carried them into the land of Shinar to the house of his god. And he brought the vessels into the treasure-house of his god. And the king spoke to Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring in certain of the children of Israel, even of the seed royal and of the nobles; youths in whom was no blemish, but well-favored, and skilful in all wisdom, and endued with knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability to stand in the king's palace; and that he should teach them the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans” - (Daniel 1:1-4).

• “Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits, and its width six cubits. He erected it on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon <…> Then the herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and tongues, that at what time you hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, you fall down and venerate the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has erected. And whoever does not fall down and venerate will the same hour be cast into the burning fiery furnace” - (Daniel 3:1-6).

The new King of Babel attempted to implement the same plan as the men who erected the Tower of Babel. Nebuchadnezzar gathered all nations, tongues, and peoples so they could be ruled by one government and speak one language. The golden image that he erected “on the Plain of Dura” corresponded to the Tower of Babel.

Moreover, the physical dimensions of Nebuchadnezzar’s idolatrous image are reflected in the number of the Beast as described in the Book of Revelation:

• “And he deceives the inhabitants of the earth by signs which it was given him to do in the sight of the beast; saying to the inhabitants of the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who has the stroke of the sword and lived <…>. And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free man and the slave, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead <…> He that has understanding, let him count the number of the beast, for it is the number of man. And his number is Six hundred and sixty and six” - (Revelation 13:14-18).

The Book of Daniel wants us to hear the verbal and conceptual parallels with the story of Babel in the Book of Genesis. We should also note the verbal allusions to the story of Nebuchadnezzar that are found in the thirteenth chapter of Revelation, the description of the Beast, its image, and its number.

What the Bible presents is not a single final event at the end of history. The attempt to install a World Empire spans all of human civilization. Bible teachers and commentators who identify the regime of the Book of Revelation with past empires like Rome are not entirely mistaken.

• “Here is the mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. And they are seven kings. The five are fallen. The one is. The other is not yet come; and when he comes, he must continue a little while” – (Revelation 17:9-10).

• “You, O king, saw a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before you. And the form of it was dreadful. As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass, its legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay” – (Daniel 2:31-33. Note that Nebuchadnezzar saw only one image, but it was constructed of several different metals).

DECEPTION, APOSTASY, PERSECUTION

So, how are we to identify the final incarnation of the World Empire? Whether discussing the Beast from the Sea, the Antichrist, or the Man without law, we find several characteristics common to all three.

For example, all three figures are linked to deception and apostasy. Jesus warned of coming deceivers and false prophets who will disseminate false information about the end of the age and Christ’s return. They will cause many believers to apostatize and turn against one another. False prophets will use signs and wonders to deceive many of God’s elect:

• “Take heed that no man deceives you, for many will come in my name, saying, I am the anointed one, and they will deceive many” – (Matthew 24:3-4).

• “For there will arise false anointed ones, and false prophets, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect” – (Matthew 24:24).

When Jesus warned that the “love of many will grow cold” because of lawlessness, he was not speaking about humanity in general, but he was addressing his disciples. False prophets will work to deceive the saints and sow discord among the followers of Christ.

Likewise, the Apostle Paul instructs believers not to be disturbed by misleading information about the Day of the Lord. That day will not come until the apostasy occurs and “the Man of without law, the Son of Destruction” is revealed - (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4).

The deceiver described by Paul will use “lying signs and wonders” to deceive those who refuse “the love of the truth.” He will be energized by Satan “with all deceit of unrighteousness for those who are perishing.” His unveiling will be the end result of the Mystery of Lawlessness, which is working even now to prepare the way for this man’s arrival.

This lawless man will be destroyed when Jesus arrives. Only those saints who “stand fast and hold tightly to the traditions” taught by Paul and the Apostles will escape deception. The rest will be swept away by false teaching and apostasy - (2 Thessalonians 2:5-14).

If Paul believed that the Antichrist is a global political leader who wages war on the nation of Israel, he said nothing about it. That is not the Apostle’s purpose in the passage. Whether the Son of Destruction conquers nations or not, his goal is to deceive the followers of Jesus Christ and cause them to betray Jesus Christ.

This lawless man will take his place in “the Sanctuary of God,” a phrase Paul applies to the Church elsewhere in his letters:

• “What agreement has a sanctuary of God with idols? For we are a sanctuary of the living God, even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people” – (2 Corinthians 6:16. Compare Ephesians 2:21. Citation from Exodus 29:45 and Leviticus 26:12).

When writing his first two epistles, the Apostle John was concerned with “the many antichrists” that were disrupting his congregations. Peter likewise warned of future false prophets who would deceive many members of the Church – (2 Corinthians 6:16, Ephesians 2:21).

• “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 they all are not of us” – (1 John 2:19).

• “For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, those who confess not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist” – (2 John 1:7).

• “But there arose false-prophets also among the people, as among you also there will be false-teachers, men who will stealthily bring in destructive parties, even denying the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves speedy destruction. And many will imitate their destructive ways…” – (2 Peter 2:1).

John calls false teachers who spread their doctrines in his congregations “antichrists.” They are forerunners of the final Antichrist, and they are driven by “the Spirit of the Antichrist.” This force is active in the world already. These deceivers deny the genuine humanity of Jesus Christ.

The Beast from the Sea of the Book of Revelation has the authority of Satan over the nations. This indicates that he is a global political leader. However, we must observe how the Beast uses this authority. He may be a politician with worldwide ambitions, but the target of his malevolence is the Church, the followers of the Lamb -– (Revelation 13:6-107).

The Beast makes war on “the saints.” Satan launches his war against “those who have the testimony of Jesus,” and “those who have the faith of Jesus.” The Beast from the Abyss kills “the Two Witnesses,” but only after they complete “their testimony.” The Two Witnesses are identified as “lampstands,” and in Revelation, lampstands represent churches - (Revelation 1:20, 11:7, 12:17, 13:7, 14:12).

Neither Paul nor John claims that this deceiver will wage war against the State of Israel or the nations of the earth. Whether the Antichrist does so is not the concern of the relevant passages. The focus is on how events impact the Church. The goal is to destroy the saints of Jesus Christ through persecution and deception.

[Photo by Jesse Gardner (Melrose, NY) on Unsplash]

So, where does this leave us? First, we must remain vigilant because the rise of the Beast from the Sea is an ever-present reality.

Secondly, since Satan and his earthly agents use miraculous signs and wonders to deceive the saints, the ability to perform supernatural feats is not a guarantee that an individual, a church or a ministry comes from God.

And thirdly, however small it may begin, the Antichrist program will become global in scope, and he will target the saints wherever they are found.

The forces of Antichrist and Lawlessness have been working for thousands of years to infiltrate the People of God and destroy them from within, and when necessary, to use the institutions of this world to attack the Church from the outside. However, this is not a never-ending process. It will reach an inevitable and permanent conclusion.

Satan and his earthly allies will launch a worldwide attempt to annihilate the saints prior to the Day of the Lord, using deception, apostasy, and persecution. This final battle will culminate in the “arrival” or ‘Parousia’ of Jesus when he will raise the dead, gather his elect, overthrow his enemies, including Death itself, judge the nations, and destroy the Man of Lawlessness with “the breath of his mouth and the manifestation of his arrival” – (Matthew 24:29-31, 1 Corinthians 15:24-28, 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10, 2:8, Revelation 20:7-10).

• “And the little horn will speak words against the Most-High, and he will afflict the saints of the Most-High. And he will presume to change the seasons and the law, and they will be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time. But the judgment will be seated, and they will remove his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end” – (Daniel 7:25-26).

Today, there is an empire rising on the world stage, a political entity that is hostile to Jesus and the Apostolic Faith. This regime is led by an individual with little regard for the laws of nations, men, or God. This development deserves careful monitoring so that we are not overwhelmed by lies and sin or seduced by this man’s ability to delude even God’s elect.

[NOTE: Text printed in small capital letters represents quotations and verbal allusions from the Old Testament]

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SEE ALSO:

• L'Ascension de la Bête - (Pour identifier l'Antéchrist, nous devons d'abord comprendre ce que les passages pertinents de la Bible disent de lui, de ses méthodes et de ses objectifs)

• The Spirit of Antichrist - (The Spirit of Antichrist is at work in the church even now, using deceivers and false prophets)

• Deceiving and Being Deceived - (The New Testament repeatedly warns of coming deceivers and false prophets who will cause many disciples to depart from the faith)