The Biography of the Beast

"What we want is a man of sufficient stature to hold the allegiance of all peoples and to lift us out of the economic morass into which we are sinking. Send us such and be he god or Devil we will receive him". That was the view of Henri Spaak former Secretary General of NATO, expressed at a time in recent history when the west economically, politically, diplomatically, and militarily were up against it and crying out for leadership to get them out of the mess they were in. Such a man is coming though as A W Pink observes, "across the varied scenes depicted by prophecy there falls the shadow of a figure at once commanding and ominous. Under many different names, like the aliases of a criminal, his character and movements are set before us. This one will be the full embodiment of human wickedness and the final manifestation of satanic blasphemy". Without doubt he will be the most diabolical character in all of history surpassing in wickedness even Genghis Khan, Hitler, Stalin, and Paul Pot. No study of prophecy would be complete without him, so of necessity we must consider the biography of the beast. 1. HIS CHARACTER. It is usually the case that in the Scriptures a persons name supplies us with a window to his character, and that is certainly true of the antichrist. There are at least 30 different names by which this individual is known, here is a sample of seven. A. The little Horn, Dan7v8. Former despots have been designated "little" doubtless a reference to there stature, but alluding also to their estimation in God’s eyes. B. The wilful King, Dan 11v36. This title demonstrates his determined self motivated drive for domination of the world. C. The man of sin, 2Thess2v3. He will be the embodiment of sin the personification of evil. D. The son of perdition, 2Thess2v3. This name was also given to Judas, it signifies in the antichrist what it did in Judas, his certain end. E. The wicked one, 2Thess2v8. The word "wicked" here is bettered rendered "lawless" and indicates antichrists total disregard for authority both human and divine. G. The antichrist, 1Jn2v18. This title means both against and instead of Christ. H. The beast, Rev11v7. This title sums up his character, bestial. 2. HIS COUNTRY. Of interest and importance is the nationality of the beast. This evil personage will almost certainly have duel nationality. He must be a Roman according to Dan9v26, he might be a Greek, since he is the "little horn" which emerges from the four Grecian horns in Dan8. He will definitely be a Jew as Dan11v37 makes clear, (only a Jew could win the confidence of Israel to sign a seven year peace covenant). A W Pink believes he is Judas resurrected, since he is referred to as the Son of Perdition as was Judas, and he ascends out of the pit where Judas now is. This view is interesting the arguments for it are compelling but not conclusive. What we can say though for certain is that he will be a European Jew, cf Rev13v1. 3. HIS CHARACTERSTICS. The antichrist will be a genius in many areas. A. He will be intellectually astute, cf Dan8v23. This man will possess an amazingly high degree of intelligence, as Satan’s imitation of the one "in whom are hid all treasures of wisdom and knowledge." The phrase, "Understand dark sentences," indicates that he will be master of all secrets of occult science. B. He will be verbally articulate, cf Dan7v20, & 11v36. As an imitator of Christ who "spake as never man spake," antichrist will have an amazing command of language. Audiences will be held spellbound when this man speaks, his words will be powerful and authoritative, and he will have the ability to manipulate people through his eloquence. C. He will be politically authoritative, cf Dan8v25, Rev17v11-12. He will be a clever politician, endowed with the skills of diplomacy and political savvy. He will take power not by force but by stealth, but once he has control he will rule with absolute authority. D. He will be commercially acquisitive, cf Dan11v43, Rev13v16-17. All commerce will be under his control and he will use the worlds wealth for his own aggrandisement. He will introduce the cashless society where every transaction will be made by means of some kind of micro chip under the skin, and every one will have a number without which it will be impossible to buy or sell. E. He will be militarily aggressive, cf Dan8v24, Rev6v2, 13v8. None will be able to stand before him the military exploits of Alexander and Napoleon will fade into insignificance beside him. His strategies and tactics will be so much more sophisticated than his opponents that he will overcome them with ease. F. He will be religiously appealing, cf 2Thess2v4, Rev13v8. He will do what no one else could do and unite all the worlds religions in a new age super church. He will demand what the Roman emperors of the past demanded, godhood. G. But he will be morally appalling, cf Dan11v37. Full of selfish ambition and sinful desire he will be completely lacking moral fibre. This verse in Daniel indicates that antichrist will be a godless homosexual. 4. HIS CHARACTERISATIONS. There are many Old Testament types of the Antichrist. A W Pink says, "the Old Testament scriptures are fundamentally, a stage on which is shown forth, in vivid symbolry, stupendous events then future. The events were actual occurrences, yet were they also typical prefigurations." A. Cain. Cain typifies antichrist by his murder of the chosen seed Abel, cf Gen4v5, Judev11. B. Nimrod. He is a type of the antichrist because of the apostate kingdom of Babylon which he founded, cf Gen10v8-10. C. Pharaoh. He foreshadows the beast by his oppression of the Lord’s people. D. Korah. This man foreshadows the antichrist by his rebellion against divinely appointed authority, cf Jude v11. E. Jeroboam. He clearly typifies the antichrist by his substitute religion, cf 1Kgs 12v25-31. F. Nebuchadnezzar. This ancient King of Babylon as a type of the coming antichrist because of the golden statute measuring 6 cubits by 6 cubits he had erected for worship recorded in Dan 3. H. Haman. He depicts the future Man of Sin by his plot to destroy the Jews, cf Est 3. I. Antiochus Epiphanies. This evil man is one of the best types of the coming antichrist as seen by his defilement of the temple, cf Dan11v21-36. 5. HIS CAREER. Of great interest to us is surely the career of this diabolical character, several things about it are clearly discernible from the scriptures. A. His period. Presently the revelation of Satan’s superman is being restrained, and he cannot be revealed until the restraint has been removed, cf 2Thess2v6-7. Many different suggestions have been offered as to the identity of the restrainer, but the only one that fits the frame of this passage is the Holy Spirit. The restrainer is clearly a person as the personal pronouns of verse 7 make clear, the person who restrains evil is the Holy Spirit. Of course if the Spirit is removed then the church whom he indwells must also be removed. The event that leaves open the way for the revelation of antichrist then, is the rapture of the church. When this takes place and antichrist is revealed, then Daniel’s 70th week will begin also known as The Tribulation period. This is antichrists period. B. His place. Clearly he comes out of the European confederacy of nations, the revived Roman empire, cf Rev13v1. Some see him emerging from the as yet undeveloped Eastern part of that empire. C. His power. He will be energised by the power of Satan and will rule Europe and dominate the world, for a while at least, unchallenged, cf Rev13v2-3, & 7. D. His peace. He will come at first as a peacemaker, cf Rev6v1-2, notice here the bow with no arrows symbolic of a conquest through peaceful diplomacy. He will solve the Arab Israeli problem and sign a seven year covenant with Israel guaranteeing her security, cf Dan 9v27. In an article in the Jerusalem post on the 2nd of October 1988 Henry Kissinger said, "I believe if you attempt to achieve a total solution it must fail, because as of this moment the differences are so great. But what is achievable in the Middle East is a series of interim agreements that improve the situation, for by five to ten years, at the end of which the situation will be discussed anew. If on e could get some self governing structure into Gaza and parts of the West Bank, governed by local Arabs supported perhaps by Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and if that group could then co-exist with Israel in a concrete manner for say five to seven years. At the end of that period one could consider the role of other organisations." The international community is already thinking in these terms. However the peace that the antichrist brings is a false peace which he himself will break half way through the agreed time for the treaty to run, cf Dan9 v27. E. His persecution. The reign of this man as world dictator will be marked by fierce persecution against the Jews and those who in the tribulation who respond to the testimony of the 144,000 and are converted, cf Rev13v7 & 20v4. F. His profanity. The ultimate blasphemy of this wicked man will be when he proclaims himself God from the Holy of Holies in the temple in Jerusalem, cf 2Thess2v4, this is the "abomination of desolation," cf Dan9v27, Mt24v15. 6.HIS CONTRAST. What a contrast there is between this man the antichrist and the Son of Man the Lord Jesus Christ. A. He comes in the image of Satan, cf Rev13v4, Christ is the image of God, cf Col 1v15. B. He is the second person of an unholy trinity, cf Rev16v13, Christ is the second person of the Holy Trinity, cf Mt28v19. C. He is a savage beast, cf Rev13v2, Christ is the sacrificial Lamb, cf Rev5v6-9. D. He ascends from the pit, cf Rev17v8, Christ descended from heaven, cf Jn 3 v13. E. He will kill his harlot wife, false religion, cf Rev17v16-17, Christ will marry his holy bride, the church, cf Rev21v1-2. F. He comes in his own name and men receive him, Christ came in another’s name and men rejected Him, cf Jn5v43. G. He is called the "Idol shepherd," cf Zech11v17, Christ is designated the "Good shepherd," cf Jn10v11. These are a few of the contrasts there are between Christ and antichrist. 7. HIS CONDEMNATION. The prophet Daniel goes into great detail concerning the last days of the beast and his kingdom, cf Dan11v40-45, and where Daniel leaves off other scriptures pick up the threads of the story of the condemnation of the antichrist, cf 2 Thess2v8, Rev19v20. It is in the midst of the last great battle, Armageddon, when the armies of the world are gathered around Jerusalem, that Christ shall come and fight against the beast and his confederates, Cf Rev19v11-21. Note the brief reference to this in 2Thess2v8, not much is said but what is said is most instructive. The word "destroyed" here actually means rendered powerless, the one who is energised with Satan’s power is rendered powerless by the brightness of Christ’s coming. Satan’s man is surely soon to be revealed the world is waiting for him, conditions are ripening economically, politically, socially, and religiously, for his coming, and when he comes he will be embraced him with open arms. Meanwhile we Christians wait and watch, but we are not looking for the man of sin, we are looking for the sinless man. There was a tourist on holiday in Switzerland once who visited the grounds of a beautiful mansion beside a picturesque lake. The scene was breathtaking, the grounds immaculate, displaying evidence of hard work. During the visit the tourist got talking to the gardener, "how long have you been gardener here," he ask. "About twenty years ," the man replied. Then he asked him, "in all that time how often has the owner of the property been in residence." "Oh, he has only been here four times," said the gardener smiling. Amazed the tourist exclaimed, "and to think that you have kept the grounds in such superb condition, you look after them as if you expected your master to return tomorrow." But the gardener courteously corrected him, saying, "I look after them as if I expected him to return today". Before Satan’s man can come our master must first come to take us out of this scene of time, if we were living, as we ought we would be living in expectation of His return.