Paul does not use the term ‘antichrist’, but the ‘man of lawlessness’ of whom he writes in 2 Thes. 2:3. clearly refers to the same being. The characteristic of this individual is that he ’opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship’ (v. 4). He claims to be God. He is not Satan, but his coming is ‘by the activity of Satan’ (v. 9). It cannot be said that all the difficulties of this passage have been cleared up, and, in particular, the identification of the man of lawlessness is still hotly debated. But for our present purpose the main points are clear enough. Paul thinks of the supreme effort of Satan as not in the past, but in the future. He does not think of the world as gradually evolving into a perfect state, but of evil as continuing right up till the last time. Then evil will make its greatest challenge to good, and this challenge will be led by the mysterious figure who owes his power to Satan, and who is the instrument of Satan’s culminating challenge to the things of God. Paul is sure of the outcome. Christ will consume the man of lawlessness ‘with the breath of his mouth’ (v. 8). The last, supreme challenge of Satan will be defeated.
Bibliography. W.
Bousset and A. H. Keane, The Antichrist Legend, 1896; art. ‘Antichrist’
in EBi; M. R. James, art. ‘Man
of Sin and Antichrist’ in HDB;
G. Vos, The Pauline Eschatology2 1961, pp. 94-135; NIDNTT 1, pp. 124-126; G. C.
Berkouwer, The Return of Christ, 1972, pp. 260-290. l.m.[1]
This
individual, identified in Daniel’s prophecy, and also spoken of by Jesus, is
the person we know as the Antichrist.
Note
that Paul was not saying the rebellion must precede Christ’s appearing.
He simply said the “Day of the Lord” will be ushered in by the Antichrist’s
rebellion.
Paul
made it clear that the appearance of this Satan-empowered person will be
unmistakable. He will come “in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and
wonders.” And he will delude the mass of humanity.[2]
1. He will be an intellectual genius.
Dan. 8:23: “In the
latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a
stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise.[3]
2. He will be an oratorical genius.
Dan. 11:36: The
king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god
and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful
until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take
place.[4]
3. He will be a commercial genius.
Dan. 11:43: He will gain
control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with
the Libyans and Nubians in submission. [5]
Rev.
13:16-17: He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and
slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, 17 so
that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the
beast or the number of his name. [6]
4. He will be a military genius.
Rev. 6:2: I looked, and
there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a
crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. [7]
5. He will be a religious genius.
2 Thess. 2:4: He will
oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is
worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to
be God. [8]
6. He will make a seven-year covenant with Israel but will
break it after three and a half years.
Dan. 9:27: He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’
In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes
desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.[9]
7. He will attempt to destroy all of Israel.
Rev. 12: Then
the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest
of her offspring—those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of
Jesus.[10]
8. He will set himself up as God.
Dan. 11:36-37: The king will
do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say
unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time
of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. 37 He
will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by
women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all. [11]
9. He will be a master of deceit.
2 Thess.
2:10: and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They
perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. [12]
10. He will profane the temple.
Matt. 24:15-16: “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that
causes desolation,’b spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the
reader understand— 16 then let those
who are in Judea flee to the mountains.[13]
11. His god will be the god of power.
Dan. 11:38: Instead
of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his fathers he
will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts.[14]
12. He will be the first creature thrown into the lake of fire.
Rev. 19:20: But the
beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the
miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had
received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were
thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.[15]
[16]
T NIDNTT C. Brown (ed.), The New
International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, 3 vols., 1975-8
m l.m L. L.
Morris, M.Sc., M.Th., Ph.D., formerly Principal, Ridley College, Melbourne;
Canon of St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne
[1] Wood, D. R. W. ; Marshall, I.
Howard: New Bible Dictionary. 3rd ed. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill. : InterVarsity Press,
1996, S. 49
[2] Richards, Larry ; Richards,
Lawrence O.: The Teacher's Commentary. Wheaton, Ill. : Victor Books, 1987, S.
959
[3] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Da 8:23
[4] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Da 11:36
[5] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Da 11:43
[6] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Re 13:16-17
[7] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Re 6:2
[8] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. 2 Th 2:4
[9] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Da 9:27
[10] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Re 12:17
[11] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Da 11:36-37
[12] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. 2 Th 2:10
[13] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Mt 24:15-16
[14] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Da 11:38
[15] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Re 19:20
