Although the Bible does not specifically name who the antichrist will be, it does give us some clues as to what he will be like.
Speculation About the Antichrist
During my research I came across a lot of current speculation about the antichrist, who he is or who he might be. A great many unlikely guesses were among the suggestions. The most popular names to come up were George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and the Pope.
I too have been accused of being the antichrist by a few of my readers who don’t agree with a biblical perspective or an editorial I’ve written. However, it’s highly improbable that one of these (Bush, Obama, Francis, or yours truly) is the actual “son of perdition” spoken of in 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2.
Bible Names for Antichrist:
By taking a look at the different names for the antichrist in the Bible, we can gain a better understanding of the kind of person he will be.
Antichrist
The name “antichrist” is only found in 1 John 2:18, 2:22, 4:3, and 2 John 7. The Apostle John was the only Bible writer to use the name antichrist. Studying these verses, we learn that many antichrists (false teachers) will appear between the time of Christ’s first and Second Coming, but there will be one great antichrist who will rise to power during the end times, or “last hour,” as 1 John phrases it. He will deny that Jesus is the Christ. He will deny both God the Father and God the Son. He will be a liar and a deceiver.
1 John 4:1-3 says, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God.
And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” (NKJV)
By the end times, many will easily be deceived and embrace the antichrist because his spirit will already dwell within the world.
Man of Sin
In 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, the antichrist is described as the “man of sin,” or “son of perdition.” Here Paul, like John, is also warning believers about the antichrist’s ability to deceive:
“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (NKJV)
The NIV makes it clearer that a time of rebellion will come prior to Christ’s return and then the “man of lawlessness, the man doomed to destruction” will be revealed. The antichrist eventually will exalt himself above God to be worshiped in the Lord’s Temple, proclaiming himself to be God. Verses 9 and 10 say that the antichrist will do counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, to gain a following and deceive many.
The Beast
In Revelation 13:5-8, the antichrist is referred to as “the beast.”
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