As a new Christian in 1975, I attended a church named Word of Faith. Some of the women were speaking of the antichrist. This is the first time I had ever heard of antichrist. One woman said she thought antichrist was Henry Kissinger.
In the book, War & Peace, Tolstoy said the Russian Catholic Church people thought the antichrist was Napoleon, who was attacking Russia in the early 1800's.
I recall my aunt, who was Christ of Christ, saying the Catholic church and their pope was antichrist.
Some in WWII thought antichrist to be Adolph Hitler.
It is amazing, but the apostle John tells us about antichrist in I John 2.
(I've never heard these scriptures taught at any church, but these scriptures are in our New Testament Bibles, and tell the answers to these questions.)
* Is antichrist one man?
* Does antichrist come through the governments of men?
The apostle John says:
I 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; whereby we know that it is the last time.
19 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 (in our church group): but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
19 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 (in our church group): but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
So John tells us there are many antichrists. And antichrist had been in their church group, in John's time on this earth, which showed it to be "the last time". (The end time began with the resurrection of Jesus into heaven.)
Paul tells us the following: Many of the elders in the church at Ephesus were just waiting for him, Paul, to depart so they could rise up and speak "perverse things" to the church at Ephesus. (antichrist: opposite to Christ, The Word)
And Paul explained:
II Thess. 2:3-4 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
(In 1982, God said to me: "The falling away spoken of by Paul in II Thess. 2, is not men leaving the church groups. The falling away are church groups leaving the scriptures." And when this happens, antichrist comes into the church groups and cast aside certain scripture and sets up doctrines in the church which are opposite to scripture. )
2 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Antichrist comes through the churches. Antichrist is a "spirit" in many men. as the devil is a spirit that operates through many men.
I discuss these things on this Podcast.
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The main scriptures to study concerning antichrist are the following:
I 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; whereby we know that it is the last time.
19 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 (in our church group): but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
19 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 (in our church group): but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
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II Thessalonians 2:3-4 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (of the Lord) shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
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The falling away from scripture is the restraint keeping antichrist out of the church, and when this falling away from scripture takes place, antichrist moves into "that" church group.
We are seeing this in churches today as they turn from scriptures and set up other doctrines in their churches.
This means Jesus can come at any time now, for this was ordained to happen before Jesus could return.
May God give understanding to all who belong to Him
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