Revelation 13:1-18. The Antichrist.

 

In looking at Revelation chapter six, I only made it to verse two, so far. 

Here we see a white horse with a rider carrying a bow but no arrows. This character goes out to conquer, and it would appear that he is successful.

If I were foolish enough to say that this is Jesus Christ the Messiah, then I would have to ask if what we see is a description of Jesus.

Since a conviction can only be made based upon two or three witnesses testimony, this same rule of law applies where a prophetic word is concerned. Since that is the case, then there should be other passages that validate a claim, no matter who is making a claim; the problem is, there are not any. There are, however, passages that demonstrate that this is the antichrist, and that is why we are now looking, for a moment, at Revelation 13:1-18 using the NASB.

Verse (1) And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names.

• “The dragon” is Satan.

  John Gill’s commentary tells us that the Arabic version reads expressly, “and the serpent stood.” Where else do we see a serpent? In the garden working his deception over Eve and her husband. If you don’t know this story, I suggest you read it because you will find that Adam was standing right there listening to every word and did NOTHING.

• “The sand of the seashore” represents the hordes of people deemed the nations, but more specifically, the Middle Eastern nations.

  Why would I be so directed toward the Middle East? Because the story and our Biblical influence is centered on the Middle East and oil.

• “a beast coming up out of the sea,” is an empire/kingdom.

  Once again, the Jewish audience would have had a familiarity with the terminology, as they have been made aware of this through Daniel’s prophecies, particularly chapter seven.

• “having ten horns and seven heads.” This specific empire exerts its influence for a very long time and has multiple rulers.

  One of the leading “nations” in the Biblical narrative is Persia/the Assyrians. When we think of Persia, who are we thinking about today? Iran.

  In my lifetime, I can think of four horns or heads that have led that nation. Only one ruled the country in a semi-democratic manner, and from pictures, it looked very modern, but not now. Daniel 2:41-42 tells us of the ten toes, all of which are derivatives of the legs of iron and other similar empires.

  On the Frontier Alliance app, Dalton Thomas gives a very comprehendible account of what we see in Daniel 11 (a study on the ships of Kittim.) Chapter 11 lays out who many of these ten horns and seven heads are. You can read this same report here. https://www.faimission.org/wire/special-report-ships-of-kittim

  Revelation 13:1 talks about the crowns on their heads and tells us that they have blasphemous names. Isaiah 37:23 NASB “Whom have you reproached and blasphemed? And against whom have you raised your voice And haughtily lifted up your eyes? Against the Holy One of Israel!

End page one.

This verse defines the majority of the world these days, but there is an ideology that comes to mind, and it is Islam.

I had not published this study on Revelation 13 at this point and so I ran it past a few of my friends to get their input. One quickly admitted to reading it and said he had questions. He rapidly asked the other gentleman if he had read it, and what did he think. The second man answered, yes, I read it, but he had no comment as to what he thought. I cannot imagine even those who deem themselves to be “senior” Christians to NOT have questions. I say this because few are willing to take on the Revelation and fewer can understand what it says.

The man I have known the longest, said, how do you know the dragon that stood on the sand of the seashore is representative of the hordes of people deemed the nations, but more specifically, the Middle Eastern nations?

To be painfully honest my memory is slipping away and I have been working on this piece on Revelation 13 for several weeks up to this point, so NO I could not remember where or how I got this information. Several hours have passed since the morning's discussion and I am going to answer this question now.

The first approach: Scripture defines scripture.

Look at Revelation 20:7-8

“When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, (8) and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore.” NASB

Yes, I realize Revelation 20 is after the fact, but Satan, as you will see, never changes his tactics. Here, in this passage, he goes to deceive the nations, a method and plan that has never changed since the garden.

The nations and the Gentiles are one in the same.

And, you need to pay attention to the terminology when it says, the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. There is NO seashore in Revelation 20, and yet the relational terminology appears here. This alone can give me the basis of seeing the seashore and the sea as completely symbolic.

The second approach to understanding Revelation 13:1 is to find comparative passages, preferably in the Old Testament, and we have such evidence.

“In that day the LORD will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, With His fierce and great and mighty sword, Even Leviathan the twisted serpent; And He will kill the dragon who lives in the sea.” Isaiah 27:1 NASB

I cannot say for a fact that Satan does not live in the sea, but I do have a biblical reference that defines where Satan's seat is, and it is Revelation 2:12,13.

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this: 'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.” ( NASB)

Writing to the church in Pergamum and then saying that this is the region where Satan dwells, tends to divert us away from the concept of Satan living in the sea; and, that the sea is representative of something else.

End page two.

Another substantiating verse comes from Daniel 7:1-3.

“In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel saw a dream and visions in his mind as he lay on his bed; then he wrote the dream down and related the following summary of it. Daniel said, "I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. "And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another.” (NASB)

The four winds of heaven, stirring up the great sea. And for great beasts were coming up from the sea. Is this real or representative? That is what Daniel also wanted to know, and we see him asking for an interpretation of this bizarre dream.

“As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my mind kept alarming me. "I approached one of those who were standing by and began asking him the exact meaning of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things:”
(Daniel 7:15-16 NASB)

Here is the beginning of the answer he received.

'These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth.

(Daniel 7:17 NASB)

Didn't we just read, in Daniel 7:3, that the four beasts came up out of the sea? We did, and yet here, in the interpretation given by the angel sent from God, it is clearly stated that the four beasts arise from the earth. These beasts have changed from beasts to kingdoms and they have obviously come out of the earth, a more practical location. This, once again, proves that the sea is symbolic.

Having dealt with that, let's move on.

(2) And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.

We already are aware that the beast is an empire and one that has outlasted most others. We also know that the empire is centered in the Middle East. The dragon, once again, is Satan. If you have a problem with this concept of Satan empowering people, then remember that it was Satan who took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, saying, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Satan was made the dictator of this world through Adam’s actions in the garden. Jeremiah 5:6 Speaks of “a leopard watching their cities,” and how that “everyone who goes out of them will be torn in pieces,” All of this, “because their transgressions are many, and their apostasies are numerous.” The writer is speaking toward Israel.

Because of the actions of Israel, Hosea 13:7-8 tells us that God, like a leopard, will lie in wait by the wayside, and He, like a bear, robbed of her cubs will tear open their chests; and He will devour them. In a short span, we see external, deadly aggression against Israel and God taking the credit for it; what knowledge do you gain from this? That God uses people and circumstance to accomplish His will.

(3) I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast;

Empires, with many and varying rulers, however, for a time, one of those ruling bodies will be crushed, as if it had been slain. I have said it many times; this could easily be seen in the Ottoman Empire’s restraint in 1924. The world rejoiced in the fact that they had been quieted. How do you think we got movies like Casablanca with Humphrey Bogart? If the beast was Islam and got crushed, how and where did we see the entire world following after Islam? We didn’t unless that “world” was solely comprised of Esau and Ishmael’s descendants.

End page three.

(4) they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?”

The only way this makes any sense is if we see the beast as Islam and its leader Allah.

The presumption, then, would be that Allah has given his power to the beast. Followers of Islam are quite confident that they will rule the world in a coming time of chaos and that the infidels (anyone outside of Islam) will bow their knees in worship of Allah. So we can expect some horrific chaos to be unleashed upon the world at any moment. I am reasonably confident of this as I watched the interactions in the Middle East.

(5) There was given to him a mouth-speaking arrogant word and blasphemies and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.

If this beast is Islam, then very soon, Satan will give this ideology a spokesperson. I do not believe he will wholeheartedly adhere to Islam’s tenets because he will be looking at MONEY and GLOBAL domination, and they claim that they are Holy and thoughts like this are against Allah’s will. Scripture tells us that Sheba and Dedan will protest his actions of war. Sheba and Dedan are modern-day Saudi Arabia, and, if you have been paying attention, Saudi Arabia is now allied with Israel.

(6) And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.

“he” is the spokesperson, the antichrist. Scripture tells us that there have been and are now many antichrists in the world. If an Antichrist is merely someone in opposition, well then, you are surrounded by them. So THE antichrist will have what seems like a global persona and influence.

(7) It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.

Now, it turns ugly as this spokesperson is given the green light to make war. He makes war with: the saints; and everybody who is NOT a Muslim. Note that I, nor scripture, is calling them the church. Make no mistake, the church is in the midst of a war with antichrists, but we ARE NOT into the time of God’s wrath.

I am a pre-tribulation believer. I believe that because of passages like:

1Thessalonians 2:3, which in its origins read “unless the gathering comes first, and then the man of lawlessness is revealed.”

If you wish to cling to the idea of apostasy, I can assure you; we are about as apostate as you would want to get. This time, the seven years we love to call “The Tribulation” is God’s wrath. One brother in Christ angrily replied to me; it is NOT God’s wrath; apparently, he values the fairy tale version of the Bible.

Romans 1:18 says, “For the Wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men...”

John 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

1Thessalonians 5:9, For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. God’s wrath is not for the church, those in Christ.

8. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, every one whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.

End page four.

• Pay attention to the wording as all will worship this spokesperson.

  At this point, it will be very apparent that he will be deemed the Mahdi, the awaited one of Islam. Those who worship him will be those whose names ARE NOT WRITTEN in the book of life.

  Slain, they will be caught up into heaven. Scripture, in Revelation 20:4,5, tells us, this is the first resurrection. The rest of the dead are not resurrected until the end of the thousand years. This book of life flaunts itself in the face of the judgmental religious who believe that all those who approach the great white throne are sent to hell. Since Matthew 25 also conveys imagery of that throne, where many, deemed sheep, are given life in eternity, God must have written their names in that book of life.

(9 -10) If anyone has an ear, let him hear. (10) If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword, he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.

If anyone has an ear, let him hear.” What does that mean?

Since we all have ears, [there are minor exceptions,] it has to be speaking to a willingness or ability to hear. If you have ears, then you should be able to hear unless you are losing your hearing, as I am, and yet, I can still hear things, and I choose to pay attention. Ah, but to what then are we paying attention? I refuse to pay attention to what my government tells me anymore, as they do not deserve my trust or engagement. On the other hand, the Word of God has become vital to me. I think it is because I decided to trust God that He has opened my eyes and ears. I may not be able to re-convey that information back to you, but I am trying.

During the days of the “mouth,” it will get ugly, so much so that non-compliant people, like myself, will be taken captive. This also speaks to me about trying to rise up in violent defiance.

Scripture does not tell me not to; it merely says if you live by the sword or gun, you will die by the same.

(11 -14) Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon. (12) He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. (13) He performs great signs so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. (14) And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who *had the wound of the sword and has come to life.

Another beast? This is what we Christians understand to be the false prophet. Islam calls him the enforcer of Sharia law - ‘Isa (Jesus).

Note how this beast looks like a lamb. Who is the Lamb in the Revelation? It is Jesus Christ, the lion of Judah, and the only one worthy to open the seals. Because of the directions of this false prophet, the followers of Islam will lop off the heads of infidels at an increased rate.

The passage also tells us that he will speak as a dragon, not just any dragon, the dragon, Satan.

What does that mean?

Back to the Islamic prophecies, for they believe that Isa will be of the lineage of Aaron.

End page five.

Why is that important?

Because you have to be of Aaron’s lineage to be a priest in the temple; and, that is what their prophecies and God's word prescribes.

Did you know that such a man exists and already has the appointed assignment when the temple proceeds?

Do you realize that the man who has the potential to deceive the elect of Israel is already in place?

And since Satan is the great deceiver, it will be an unimaginable event when this man joins the opposition. Simply switching teams is not considered to be the thing that convinces the elite of Israel; it is the signs and wonders; stuff they did not see coming; and, he, who has the look and feel of the Messiah - the lamb, will tell those who dwell on the earth to make an image of the beast.

Wait a minute, since the beast, as mentioned earlier, is an empire or ruling authority, how do you possibly make an image of such an intangible entity?

This opens the door to some strange possibilities doesn't it.

But what if they declare the beast to be Allah?

No one has seen Jehovah, but some have seen His Son. No one has seen Allah, especially since Allah is a creation of Satan’s deceit, and none have knowingly seen him either. Just keep in mind that this is the same beast that had the “mortal” wound come upon it. The passage makes it seem as though it appeared to have died due to the injury from a sword. All that means is that the empire was brought to its knees in warfare, which is the case with the Ottoman Empire, an Islamic caliphate.

(15) And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

So they make an image of Allah, whom no one has ever seen, and this false prophet now makes the image come to life. As a result, Allah is now talking and requiring that everyone listen.

The image demands that all those on the earth must worship his image or die.

(16-17) And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, (17) and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.

“And he” this beast that looked like a lamb, causes all, the great, and the rich and the poor, free and slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads.

[Wait a minute, I thought guys like Bill Gates and Klaus Schwab were going to be at the top of the pyramid and rule this whole mess? Sorry, as they too are merely pawns in this game, and they don’t realize it.]

Along with this “vaccine” there has been a bit of talk about a micro-needle imprint installed through a bandage-like device on the back of your hand. It will allow you to have the necessary information to live your life without ATM cards or “constraints; how convenient. They tell us you won’t even feel it as it creates a micro tattoo, installs operating instructions, and communicative devices in your body. There is already a diabetes monitoring system that uses similar technology.

Don’t be surprised to find that a European manufacturer claims it will be ready within three years from this date 03/30/21.

End page six.

Islam already utilizes a method of marking people, much like the Nazis did with the yellow star on the Jews in WW2. If that is the case, then the “vaccine” seems unnecessary and is most likely no more than a method of slowly killing millions of people.

The most dominant aspect of this conversation is the questions people have asked, such as, am I taking the beast’s mark when I get the vaccination?

The short answer is NO, as there is no beast as yet. But, you need to know that you are not getting a vaccine; you are getting gene therapy and a mild dose of Covid 19 genetically modified to do what “they” have instructed. That genetically modified organism is delicate and must be covered or spiked with Propylene glycol to ensure that the instructions survive the journey into your body and do the damage they were designed to do. And, you surely must realize that in taking the “vaccine” you have had your resistance broken to the point where you are compliant. How do you think you will resist the mark of the beast when that comes?

Just for the fun of it, here is a definition of Propylene glycol. Propylene glycol is a viscous, colorless liquid, which is nearly odorless but possesses a faintly sweet taste. It is compatible with a broad range of solvents, including water, acetone, and chloroform. [From Wikipedia.] And many people are highly allergic to it; that is why we have seen many die of Anaphylactic shock.

(18) Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man, and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.

The word calculate is not as overwhelming as one might think. It is the Greek word psēphizō and means to count with pebbles, to compute, calculate. The usage of pebbles was employed mainly by the Greeks and Egyptians in their calculations. The feeling for me is like looking at an Abacus, and I don’t know what to do with it.

The Number 666 speaks of man corrupted. Many think the number 666 to be purely symbolic, expressing all that is corrupt in humanity when directed by evil himself.

The Ultimate Cross-Reference Treasury points us to the Psalms where it says,

“Jehovah is King forever and ever; the nations have perished out of His land. Jehovah, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart, You will cause Your ear to hear, to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, so that the man of the earth may no more terrify.” (Psalms 10:16-18 MKJV)

Perhaps verse 18 is trying to give us the answer, although not the name. 

Psalms 10:18 ISV, “to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed, so that men of the earth may cause terror no more.”

Think about the condition of the world right now. It is turning into a world of them-versus-us (those who refuse to submit to genetic modification through some bogus vaccine, and those who still put their faith in Jesus Christ.)

Let me refresh your thinking just a bit.

“The second beast forces all people—important and unimportant, rich and poor, free, and slaves—to be marked on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that no one may buy or sell unless he has the mark, which is the beast’s name or the number of its name. In this case wisdom is needed: Let the person who has understanding calculate the total number of the beast, because it is a human total number, and the sum of the number is 666.” (Revelation 13:16-18 ISV)

End page seven.

I stumbled upon a website https://bookofrevelation.org/2020/06/06/the-antichrist-has-been-identified/ The article, entitled The Antichrist Has Been Identified and Located, appears to be written by Addison Bachman. In the article, he explains that the antichrist has been identified using the Apostle John’s clues.

Mr. Bachman says the antichrist has been right in front of our eyes this whole time. He goes on to say, “Could the answer be we didn’t recognize the obvious because we have all been hoodwinked (tricked.) Mr. Bachman then refers us to 2 Timothy 4:3,4.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 AMP For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold, (4) And will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions.

Sound and wholesome instruction is referred to by many as sound doctrine. Doctrine is a school of thought or belief within a religious organization; and, doctrines can vary from religion to religion.

So the question is, what is sound and wholesome?

For me, it is God’s word, and that does NOT mean King James only. Look, you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you. He came in when you requested the life of Christ to dwell in you. Since Christ is sitting on a throne next to the Father, and the Holy Spirit is here on earth leading us and guiding us into all truth, then how about we listen to Him. I suppose that means you might have to learn to pay attention to His voice because it is often still and small.

What do we see when we read 2 Timothy 4:3-4?

We see people of every race and tongue choosing to do things their way. Because they will not tolerate someone pointing out, in scripture, that their actions are sinful or an abomination, they find some ‘church’ that will condone and cater to their lifestyle. Choosing to do this tends to exclude you from all other truths merely by your actions.

In other words, if you would not read and accept the word concerning you; why then will you listen to anything else God has to say? This was Israel’s problem as well.

The second beast, the false prophet, comes at the halfway point in the time of wrath. For the sheep who like to follow, this is what you call the Great Tribulation.

Mr. Bachman points out that the word “antichrist” (it is never capitalized) only shows up four times, and he challenges the reader to prove him wrong. Yes, I looked, and he is right. This Antichrist character is alluded to in many locations and many of those locations are in Daniel’s writings.

One of our first instances comes from 1 John 2:18

“Children, it is the last hour, and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this, we know that it is the last hour.” NASB

Antichrist is the Greek word antichristos and means the adversary of the Messiah or the opponent of the Messiah. Well, that seems easy enough to understand and could apply to many people.

Coming is the Greek word erchomai and means to come from one place to another; to come into being, or to become known. I can see how this can apply to many things, like demons/fallen angels or people.

End page eight.

When we read 1 John 2:18, we see that the Apostle John believed he was living in the “end times,” as Mr. Bachman noted. John’s belief can be seen in this statement “it is the last hour.” Here we are, some 2000 years later, and some of us are still living on the edge of our seats, as though Jesus was coming back for His church at any second. The writer of Hebrews validates what John is saying when they state,

“in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.” (Hebrews 1:2 NASB)

If you feel like you need one more validation on this theme, I give you the Prophet Joel.

“It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions. “Even on the male and female servants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days.” (Joel 2:28-29 NASB)

These words should be familiar to many of us, as these are the words Peter, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, declared to the large crowd on the day of Pentecost.

“but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:” (Acts 2:16 NASB)

Peter added this line, moving it into this window of time we are NOW entrenched in.

Do you NOT realize that this style of anticipation is what we have called to?

To substantiate this statement, here is a taste of what the Apostle Paul had to say.

I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:4-8 NASB)

He expects us to be eagerly awaiting Him. This became rather important to me because I got criticized by a man I called a friend and a pastor as well; it seems they both believed that we would not see the Lord for at least another forty years. We, believers, won’t live that long as “they” will kill us first.

Note how 1 John 2:18 indicates that there are many antichrists already here; this statement evidences it: “even now many antichrists have appeared.” You would think they were lined up, waiting for their entrance on stage.

John informs us that the antichrist is also a spirit and isn’t simply a person.

The second time John uses the term antichrist is found in

1 John 2:22-23 NLT “And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist. (23) Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either. But anyone who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”

Dr. J. Vernon McGee, in a simple way, tell us,

“The language is much stronger here; it is, "Who is the liar?" In other words, all lies are summed up in the one who is the prince of liars, the Devil. There is coming a man who is Satan's man, and he is the liar. And a liar is one who does not tell the truth.”

End page nine.

Dr. McGee goes on to say,

“"Who is a liar, but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denies the Father and the Son."

Note how it says, He is antichrist; not the antichrist but merely one of many, and this person gains that title through their denial of Christ.

“This will be the embodiment of the Antichrist, but there are many antichrists.”

This is now the third instance of the word antichrist.

1 John 4:3 NASB “and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.”

It is evident that in time, someone will finally take the helm of antichrist.

We understand this from passages like Daniel 9:26,27, where this person is referred to as the prince that is to come.

“Then after the sixty-two weeks, the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end, there will be war; desolations are determined. And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.” NASB

In verse 27, we see the antichrist referred to as “he.”

In Revelation 13:5, we are told, “there was given to him a mouth.” This statement does not make sense without the context, and so we will look there.

Revelation 13:1-6b NASB And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names.

(2) And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. (3) I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; (4) they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?” (5) There was given to him a mouth-speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. (6) And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.

John sees a beast coming up out of the sea; the sea is representative of the vast number of people included among the nations. In other words, we are not looking specifically at the Middle East; and, because this beast has seven heads, it is obviously NOT a human; these are empires, kingdoms, or, Caliphates.

End page ten.

Now, look at verse three, as one of those seven heads sustains a wound, and the world perceives this wound as fatal. In 1924 such a thing happened as the Ottoman Caliphate was forced by a treaty and weapons to surrender and submit to being dismantled. If you don’t know it, the Ottoman empire empowered the pirates of the Mediterranean and is one of the main reasons that the United States formed the Marines. The Ottoman Empire seemed to stay dead until the Islamic/Iranian revolution of 1979. Now Islamic fighters are a perpetual thorn in just about everybody’s flesh.

So the mouth speaking is merely a spokesperson for this beast empire. Most leaders with this kind of clout do not, as a rule, openly blaspheme God unless they are Islamic.

We know, at this point, that there will be a man who has power (from Satan), and, in time, he will curse God. I still don’t know who this is, but there are several who could be contenders.

The fourth instance of the word antichrist shows up in 2 John 1:7.

2 John 1:6b-7 AMP “...continue to walk in love [guided by it and following it]. (7) For many impostors (seducers, deceivers, and false leaders) have gone out into the world, men who will not acknowledge (confess, admit) the coming of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) in bodily form. Such a one is the impostor (the seducer, the deceiver, the false leader, the antagonist of Christ) and the antichrist.

I give you the NLT because it is quite clear.

I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. (2 John 1:7 NLT)

If the Pope, Emanuel Macron, or Barak Obama, denies that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, then they too are living the life of an Antichrist.

End page eleven.