Who is the Antichrist?

A Dallas pastor created a stir when he accused President Obama of “paving the way for the future reign of the Antichrist.” A Montana GOP congressional candidate caught the nation’s attention, when he referred to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as the “Antichrist”. A prophecy scholar shocked the scientific community when he announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin is undoubtedly the “third Antichrist” predicted by Nostradamus. Just mention the name of any well-known politician and the Antichrist, in the same breath, and it is sure to generate interest. By Rick Brinegar The Man With the Answers Well-known Bible commentators have popularized the idea that the Antichrist will come onto the world scene as a glib, well-dressed politician with all the answers to the world’s problems. Others say that he must be a prominent religious leader or a ruthless military strategist. Whatever his profession, he will be many things to many people, with a message of power, prosperity, peace and brotherhood. With a rock-star-like ascension, he will be received as messianic deliverer by many. He may appear as the Iman Mahdi to some. Others may be convinced that he is Krishna or Maitreya. But to the millions of members of the end time one-world religion, he will be the “Christ”. Alive on Earth Today? In the last days, according to the Bible, this final “false Christ” will rule over vast portions of the world as he blasphemes God and sets himself up in the Third Temple as God himself. He will ultimately reign over his world government for three and one-half years just prior to the Second Coming of Jesus. The most evil person, of all history, will use every kind of wicked deception to fool those who are on their way to destruction, because they refuse to believe the truth that would save them. The convergence and acceleration of fulfilled end-of-the-age prophecies suggest that he is probably living on earth right now.

 How will We Know Him? The Antichrist, who will claim to be God but will actually lead a rebellion against God, is also known by such Biblical names as the Man of Sin, the Little Horn, the Prince Who is to Come, the Son of Perdition, the Man of Lawlessness and the Beast. The Bible tells us that the Antichrist will come from the people whose armies destroyed the Second Temple. In other words, his ancestors are descendants of the people who occupied the Roman Empire. He will be arrogant and satanically empowered. He will become the preeminent ruler among ten kings or kingdoms, and he will rule politically, economically and religiously. The Antichrist will confirm a treaty with the people of Israel for a period of seven years. He will go out to do battle and will conquer a sizeable portion of the world’s population. He will wage war against Christians and Jews, and will attempt to destroy every religion except his own. Most of the world will fall under the scope of the Antichrist’s global domination. A Shrewd Peacemaker Daniel 8:25 prophesies concerning the Antichrist: “And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many…” This passage tells us that the Antichrist will be a skilled peacemaker, but he will use diplomacy to ultimately destroy all those that oppose him. Not all peacemakers are peaceful, and neither can they be trusted.

 The Real Deal

 Be careful. It is possible to spend too much time trying to identify the one who will be revealed as the Antichrist. The Bible promises a crown of righteousness for those who watch for Jesus’ Second Coming, for those who “love His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8), not for those who are obsessed with watching for His enemy. Currency experts are quick to point out that the best training for identifying counterfeit bills is to become familiar with the genuine article. Biblically-Credentialed Candidates Strong types of antichrists have appeared throughout history, such as Hitler, Stalin and Mao Tse-tung. Today, popular culture speculates that the Antichrist could be any one of a variety of well-known personalities, ranging from Hillary Clinton to Al Gore. Here, however, we will consider a few of the more popular candidates who seem likely to have at least some of the Biblical qualifications required to assume the infamous role of the Antichrist. Finally, we will examine one of the public’s favorites, although he may not seem to be the most Biblically credentialed contender for the Antichrist title.

 King Juan Carlos I, the Best-Dressed

 Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain met Pope Francis for the first time in April 2014. It was an historic occasion, as it was the first time that two Popes had been declared saints at the same time. The royal couple was later treated to a private audience with the Pontiff and his Secretary of State. King Juan Carlos, who turned age 76 in January, was coronated in 1975 after he was hand-picked by fascist Generalissimo Franco to be his successor. He became king of the tenth nation to join the European Union. According to Daniel 9:27, the Antichrist will “confirm a treaty with many for seven years.” Juan Carlos has been directly, or indirectly, involved in the Middle East peace process ever since the Spanish government hosted the 1991 Madrid Conference which brought together Israel, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and representatives of Palestine. Born in Rome, Juan Carlos received the Charlemagne Award in 1982, for his contributions to European unification. He was educated by the Jesuits, and holds the title “Protector of the Holy Places in Jerusalem.” Israel urged Juan Carlos to take a leading role in Israeli and Palestinian negotiations in 2001. He visited Syria in 2003, and held talks with President Bashar al-Assad in order to improve political dialog between Damascus, Madrid and the European Union. The Syria Times reported that the royal visit played “a significant role in the dialogue between Islam and Christianity.” The United States government has welcomed Spanish diplomacy as a link in the globalization process. Juan Carlos has enacted political reforms and free democratic elections. Also, he was able to keep the Spanish army in check throughout an attempted coup in 1981, as well as survive the rise of the Socialist Party in 1982. Known for his bearing and elegance, Juan Carlos has been called one of the world’s best-dressed men by Vanity Fair. We will see whether his charm will translate into the kind of ruthlessness needed to become a global dictator. 

Tony Blair

 Middle East Peace Envoy, Interfaith Leader Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair struggled to maintain his standing recently, as he was accused of trying to delay the publication of a report on the Iraq War, which could present an incriminating view of his handling of the conflict. Also, Mr. Blair had urged that Britain should set aside its differences with Russia to fight radical Islam. The speech was dismissed as “embarrassingly simple-minded” by some experts, and led some to question how long he can continue as the West’s envoy to the Middle East. In 2009, the same year that the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq War was initiated, Mr. Blair had received a prestigious million-dollar Israeli prize for his leadership on the world stage. The Dan David Prize was awarded to him for “his exceptional leadership and steadfast determination in helping to engineer agreements and forge lasting solutions to areas in conflict.” Mr. Blair is an envoy of the international Quartet (comprised of the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia) on the Middle East peace process. Mr. Blair became instrumental in the interfaith movement in 2011 when he established the Tony Blair Faith Foundation to promote interfaith understanding and research on religion and globalization. The Faith Foundation works toward ending religious conflict and extremism, and uniting faith groups in the struggle against poverty and disease. Advisors to the Faith Foundation include Rick Warren, advocates for HIV/AIDS victims and world Baptist, Catholic and Jewish leaders. In 2012, Mr. Blair urged the European Union to carry out continent-wide elections for a President of Europe. His proposal was viewed as a further hint that he was positioning himself for the job. In the early stages of the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty, which became Europe’s first constitution, Mr. Blair was considered to be a front-runner for the newly created post of European Union President. At that time, Mr. Blair sent his former Chief of Staff, Jonathan Powell, to lobby European leaders to make sure that his name was on the short list of contenders for the position. He was promoted as a superior choice for those who wanted “Mr. Europe” to have the global recognition factor and leadership charisma. The future European federation, which he may soon head, is commonly called the “United States of Europe”. It is this European “Super State” that is believed to be the progenitor of the Revived Holy Roman Empire, the future kingdom of the Antichrist. (Daniel 2; 8:25)

 Prince Charles,

 “Savior of the World” BBC News reported in 2002 that a remote town in Brazil called Palmas was to install a giant bronze statue of Prince Charles of Wales. Although the Prince is destined to become Defender of the Faith when he becomes King of England, the inscription on the statue in Brazil honors him as “Savior of the World”. As he accepted a scale model of the sculpture, which depicts him with angel-like wings with human bodies at his feet, Prince Charles said that he was “amazed” and “deeply touched”. The Daily Mail reported in 2010 that Prince Charles believes that he was placed on earth as a future king for the purpose of saving the world. “I wanted to express something in the outer world that I feel inside…” he said. “We seem to have lost that understanding of the whole of nature and the universe as a living entity.” Tim Cohen, in his book, Antichrist and a Cup of Tea, points out that Prince Charles’ lineage places him at the head of the Merovingian Dynasty. Prince Charles’ ancestry, according to Mr. Cohen, can be traced back to Israel’s King David, Jesus, and Islam’s Mohammed, as well as the Tribe of Dan and Satan. His coat of arms, in the British system of Heraldry, reveals, according to Mr. Cohen, a literal depiction of satanic imagery, with Prince Charles’ power, throne and authority derived from the “red dragon”. The beast on the left-hand side of Prince Charles’ coat of arms has the head and mouth of a lion, the body of a leopard, and the feet of a bear. Revelation 13:2 says of the Antichrist, “And the beast which I saw was like unto 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 him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” Author’s note: Cohen says Prince Charles’ coat of arms has the feet of a bear. However, in the official description, it states the feet are lion’s feet. Cohen later admitted to bending the truth in order to make Charles’ coat of arms perfectly match the beast of Revelation 13. Daniel 9:26 states that the people of the “prince that shall come” were to destroy the temple. Queen Elizabeth has announced that she does not intend to step down for her son, Prince Charles, to become King. If Tim Cohen is correct in his contention that Prince Charles is the future Antichrist, then he must remain a Prince, and not become a King. Prince Charles has a good reputation among the followers of Islam. The Guardian posted a video of Prince Charles, in February 2014, donning ceremonial dress complete with elaborate dagger, bandolier and bullets, to join Saudi Arabian princes in an annual Janadriyal festival sword dance. Prince Charles has not always been as popular with some Britons as he is with Saudi Arabs. The scandal about his infidelity with Camilla, the duchess of Cornwall, and rumors of a conspiracy to eliminate Princess Diana has damaged the image of the British monarchy of Windsor. In 2012, only 39% of those surveyed wanted him to succeed the Queen, and 48% wanted to skip a generation and pass the crown directly to Prince William. Then, a 2013 survey by Ipsos MORI concluded that most Britons wanted Prince Charles to be the next King. Prince Charles and Camilla recently celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary and an improved public image.

 Abdullah II of Jordan,

the Hashemite King King Abdullah II bin al-Hussein is the supposed 43rd generation direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. His British mother, Antoine Fe Gardiner, provides him with the European ancestry required for a Revived Holy Roman Empire origin. In a 2003 Travel Channel special, King Abdullah was portrayed as a “man for all seasons”, flying a helicopter, appearing in pompous military ceremonies, touring Petra after a camel ride through the desert, cruising on the Gulf of Aqaba, socializing with the common Bedouin desert people and climbing a mountain to a shrine for prophets. Isaiah seems to indicate that the Antichrist may be from Assyria (Isaiah 10:12, 14:25). At its peak of power, Assyria included lands now under the control of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. King Abdullah appears to be playing a role of increasing importance to the Middle East peace process. His official website declares, “Today, the pursuit of peace in the region and beyond – a hallmark of Hashemite leadership – is the cornerstone of His Majesty King Abdullah II’s foreign policy.” He considers a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians to be crucial for comprehensive regional peace and development. He has also been very vocal in his support of the API, the Arab Peace Initiative, and has signed several anti-terrorism treaties. He has been an advocate for the World Economic Forum and his own G-11 Initiative. King Abdullah met with US Secretary of State John Kerry in March 2014, in hopes of helping to broker a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians. Jordan has a peace treaty and cordial relations with Israel, and borders both Israel and the area which would make up most of the future Palestinian state. Jordan also contains a large population of Palestinian refugees and holds influence with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. King Abdullah urged Israeli and Palestinian leaders to not let negotiations “blow up”, saying the chance for peace would not come again. Erdogan, Prime Minister of Turkey, “the Assyrian” Recep Tayyip Erdogan was once one of the United States’ closest allies. He was considered to be religious but secular, powerful but democratic, independent but reliable, and a “role model” for the post-dictatorship Arab world. Then, it seemed that yet another Middle East strongman had turned into a dangerous dictator when he mistreated the Kurds, denied the holocaust, crushed anti-government demonstrators and fired or removed hundreds of police and security officers. Some believe that if the United States bombardment of the Assad regime in Syria had taken place, Turkey could have influenced the structure of any new Syria, and that ancient nation could have become part of a larger Ottoman-style empire. Erdogan, who denies ongoing accusations of bribery and corruption, could yet fulfill the role of the “Assyrian” king of Isaiah chapter 10. The Antichrist, as we have seen, is called “the Assyrian” in Isaiah chapter 10. As such, he will do the same things the Assyrian kings did. Assyrians are an ethnic group whose origins lie in what is today Iraq, Iran, Syria and, significantly, Turkey. Isaiah chapter 10 seems to simultaneously describe the previous conquest of Syria by Assyrian King Tiglath-pileser and the future invasion of Israel by the Antichrist. “Yet he does not mean so, Nor does his heart think so; But it is in his heart to destroy, And cut off not a few nations. For he says, ‘Are not my princes altogether kings? Is not Calno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus? As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols, Whose carved images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria, As I have done to Samaria and her idols, Shall I not do also to Jerusalem and her idols?’” (Isaiah 10:7-11, NKJV)

 Vladimir Putin

 Russian President Vladimir Putin’s behavior fits the role of the King of Fierce Countenance of Daniel 8:23. “In the latter time [the end time, just prior to Jesus’ return] … when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.” (Daniel 8:23) Putin is known to be “stern-faced”. The prophet Daniel also describes the Antichrist as a man “whose appearance was greater than his fellows.” (Daniel 7:20) Other translations render this phrase “more stout than his fellows,” or “more imposing than his fellows.” The Antichrist will “understand dark sentences”. Some translations say that he will be a “master of deception”, or “skilled in intrigue”. Putin was the head of Federal Security Service, the FSB. (successor to the KGB) The FSB combines the functions of an elite police force with those of a spy agency. The agency still operates from the Lubyanka, the central Moscow building notorious during the Soviet era for interrogations in its basement cells. The Antichrist becomes powerful, but not by his own power. Putin became powerful, even though he did not rise through elected channels. He had no natural constituency. He owes his political power to Boris Yeltsin. “The Man Without a Face is the chilling account of how a low-level, small-minded KGB operative ascended to the Russian presidency and, in an astonishingly short time, destroyed years of progress and made his country once more a threat to her own people and to the world….Handpicked as a successor by the ‘family’ surrounding an ailing and increasingly unpopular Boris Yeltsin, Vladimir Putin seemed like a perfect choice for the oligarchy to shape according to its own designs. Suddenly the boy who had stood in the shadows, dreaming of ruling the world, was a public figure, and his popularity soared…” (Penguin Book Review, The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin by Masha Gessen) In 1999 the “family”, Boris Yeltsin and his associates, was under investigation for a variety of illegal activities. Yeltsin was afraid. He was allowed only two terms under the constitution, and he was in his second term. The “family” needed someone in power who could be trusted to prevent prosecution of anyone for wrongdoing. Putin had a reputation for being loyal to “the family”. Yeltsin resigned as president and appointed Putin as his successor. As soon as he was appointed, Putin granted Yeltsin immunity from prosecution. According to traditional translations of verse two of chapter 38 in Ezekiel, Gog is the “chief prince of Meshech and Tubal,” ancient kingdoms near the Black Sea. However, the Hebrew word “nesi rosh”, which is translated “chief prince”, could also be rendered “ruler” or “president”. Some scholars believe that “rosh” is not an adjective, but a noun denoting the name of a nation. Therefore, Gog is the “prince of Rosh”, or, the “President of Russia”. According to Gaon Rabbi Moshe Shternbuch, the times of Messiah are upon us. “When you hear that the Russians have captured the city of Crimea, you should know that the times of the Messiah have started,” said Rabbi Shternbuch, “that his steps are being heard. And when you hear that the Russians have reached the city of Constantinople (today’s Istanbul), you should put on your Shabbat clothes and don’t take them off, because it means that the Messiah is about to come any minute.”

 Barack Obama, “Messiah Figure”

 Finally, we consider the current President of the United States, who has been described as the most polarizing of all American presidents. On February 18, 2008 Rolling Stone Contributing Editor Claire Hoffman posted a blog in Newsweek magazine’s “Under God” religious section titled: Is Obama a (or the) Messiah? The blog stated, “Is Obama the Messiah? People are asking these days and it’s not so hard to understand why: the desperate throngs, the tears, the great awakening of a slumbering demographic…The Messiah question is a loud one coming from all corners.” He began his presidency with one of the grandest outpourings of adulation of any president in recent history. Chris Matthews said that the Obama phenomenon was as big as the New Testament. He wrote in the New York Observer in 2008, “I’ve been following politics since I was about 5.… I’ve never seen anything like this. This is bigger than Kennedy. [Obama] comes along, and he seems to have the answers. This is the New Testament. This is surprising.” In 2009, Howard Fineman joked about Obama becoming president of the planet in Newsweek, “In the rose garden last Friday, Barack Obama, with a deep sense of humility and in the name of all mankind, reluctantly accepted the Nobel Peace Prize committee’s decision proclaiming him president of planet Earth…OK, I’m joking. Obama isn’t going to be sworn in as planetary president. But it doesn’t matter; in his mind, he already is.” When Dallas Pastor Jeffress was promoting his newest book, Perfect Ending, he said, “Although President Obama is certainly not the Antichrist, his policies are paving the way for the Antichrist.” He later explained that, “President Barack Obama’s policies have ‘paved the way’ for the coming usurpation of religious liberties and moral law by the Antichrist.” President Obama is distressing to many evangelicals, considering the controversies about his birthplace, his globalist tendencies, his measured support for Israel, his attack on personal privacy and that he has been recognized internationally as a “man of peace”. According to the Bible, he does not qualify to hold the title, “The Man of Sin”, a.k.a. the Antichrist, but he is certainly one of many antichrists. He operates in the spirit of the Antichrist. He is part of the Antichrist program. The change that he said we could count on has become, according to his detractors, a betrayal of his oath to uphold the US Constitution. Daniel chapter 9 is generally seen as a reference to the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem that was built by Solomon. “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.” (Daniel 9:26) Thus, the future Antichrist will be the “prince of the people who destroyed the Temple and the City.” History bears out that the Romans were the people who destroyed the temple and the city in 70AD. In other words, the Antichrist must come from the region that was the home base of the Romans. Obama claims that he was born in Hawaii. Although Barack Obama has a very liberal, socialist and anti-God agenda, perhaps his primary role in prophecy is to bring down America, the last bastion of Messianic hope, from the status of superpower to the same level as the other nations of the world. Perhaps, in the same manner that John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, Barack Obama could be a forerunner of the Antichrist, ready to step aside as a Russian-led Islamic coalition advances against Israel. Someone Else It is likely that the Antichrist is on the earth today and could be someone else than those named here? The rapid rise from relative obscurity of such public figures as John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama illustrates that world leaders can be catapulted into the public spotlight in a very short time. Add to this political support, the powerful funding and supernatural evil prevailing in the last days, and we have a disastrous recipe for the fabrication of the final fuehrer of the world. Jesus came to do the will of God (Hebrews 10:9), but of the Antichrist the Bible says, “And the king shall do according to his will.” (Daniel 11:36) In direct opposition to both divine and human authority, he arrives in his own name to do his own will, promising freedom but bringing bondage. Posing as a meek servant, he uses his wealth and power to accomplish his wishes through flattery, bribery, blackmail and coercion. There is such a lack of spiritual discernment, even among Christians, that the world seems to be ready to be betrayed by a false Christ. When he steps onto the world stage, the Antichrist may attempt to mimic everything that Jesus did while He walked on earth. This ultimate imposter will deceive many, but those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life do not need to be afraid of the Antichrist’s delusions. Children of Light, as the Bible calls genuine believers (1 Thessalonians 5:5), will watch soberly for the appearing of the true Savior of the world.