WHEN WILL "THE ANTICHRIST" COME?

After reading Revelation 13, people ask when this time will come when this Antichrist, called the Beast, will come to our world and dominate civilization.  First of all, the Beast is never called "The Antichrist".  The Beast is certainly an Antichrist, but is not "the Antichrist"  You will be shocked to learn that there is no mention of "The Antichrist" in the entire Bible.  

Here are the only verses that speak of "antichrist".

1 John 2:18  Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. ;

1 John 2:22  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 4:3  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.

2 John 1:7  For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

We read of:

• Antichrist.
• Many antichrists.
  
• That spirit of antichrist.
• An antichrist.

But we never read of "The Antichrist" as though there is a figure in the Bible who is more "antichrist" than any other antichrist.  John said that the spirit of antichrist was foretold to come (1 John 4:3).  He did not say an individual called antichrist would come.  In fact, John said that many antichrists existed in his day, and did not distinguish them from some great antichrist, worse than them all, to come in the future.  An Antichrist is simply a person or spirit that denies the Father and the Son.  It is a spirit that does not confess that Jesus is come in the flesh.

If you read 1 John very carefully, you will find that John spoke of the spirit of antichrist that was in the world in his day.  And he never said anything about a man called antichrist who would come long after the spirit of antichrist was in the world.  He said that antichrist was the influence of deception in his day denying the Father and the Son.  John spoke of those who were part of the church but later left it and revealed that in reality they were never were part of the church to begin with.

1 John 2:18-19  Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists;. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt] have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

Notice that John points to these apostates who were once among the church as proof that John was at that time in the last time.  He proved to the readers that those early believers were in the last time.

Paul warned the churches about this antichrist spirit coming.

Acts 20:28-31  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Paul said the very people to whom he preached would experience the coming of false preachers.  This period of time called the LAST DAYS was absolutely rife with heresy and false doctrine.

2 Timothy 2:16-18  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

1 Corinthians 15:12  Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

Colossians 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Colossians 2:18  Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

2 Peter 2:1  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2 Peter 2:10  But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

The list goes on and on about the heresies in the days of the early church.  

And the term "Antichrist" is never even mentioned in the Book of Revelation!  So where did this title "The Antichrist" referring to a man with 666 ever come from?  

John said it was the last time in his day and proof of that was the fact that antichrist was in the world in his day.

1 John 2:18  Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. ;

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