Revelation 13:   MSG
1  And the Dragon stood on the shore of the sea. I saw a Beast rising from the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads—on each horn a crown, and each head inscribed with a blasphemous name.
2  The Beast I saw looked like a leopard with bear paws and a lion’s mouth. The Dragon turned over its power to it, its throne and great authority.
3  One of the Beast’s heads looked as if it had been struck a deathblow, and then healed. The whole earth was agog, gaping at the Beast.
4  They worshiped the Dragon who gave the Beast authority, and they worshiped the Beast, exclaiming, “There’s never been anything like the Beast! No one would dare go to war with the Beast!”
5  The Beast had a loud mouth, boastful and blasphemous. It could do anything it wanted for forty-two months.
6  It yelled blasphemies against God, blasphemed his Name, blasphemed his Church, especially those already dwelling with God in Heaven.
7  It was permitted to make war on God’s holy people and conquer them. It held absolute sway over all tribes and peoples, tongues and races.
8  Everyone on earth whose name was not written from the world’s foundation in the slaughtered Lamb’s Book of Life will worship the Beast.
9  Are you listening to this?
10  They’ve made their bed; now they must lie in it. Anyone marked for prison goes straight to prison; anyone pulling a sword goes down by the sword. Meanwhile, God’s holy people passionately and faithfully stand their ground.
11  I saw another Beast rising out of the ground. It had two horns like a lamb but sounded like a dragon when it spoke.
12  It was a puppet of the first Beast, made earth and everyone in it worship the first Beast, which had been healed of its deathblow.
13  This second Beast worked magical signs, dazzling people by making fire come down from Heaven.
14  It used the magic it got from the Beast to dupe earth dwellers, getting them to make an image of the Beast that received the deathblow and lived.
15  It was able to animate the image of the Beast so that it talked, and then arrange that anyone not worshiping the Beast would be killed.
16  It forced all people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to have a mark on the right hand or forehead.
17  Without the mark of the name of the Beast or the number of its name, it was impossible to buy or sell anything.
18  Solve a riddle: Put your heads together and figure out the meaning of the number of the Beast. It’s a human number: six hundred sixty-six.

The question of who the anti-christ is is one that man has been trying to solve since the writings of John the Revelator.  Many have speculated who it might be, and many have been wrong.  Some thought it was the Pope, others during their lives thought it was Napoleon, and yes even Adolf Hitler.  All those had very close similarities to that man described in the Word of God, but none were that spoken by the disciples and the writer of Revelation.

Let me say here and now, there is not one leader at this present time that fits the prophecy.  I can see how some would liken some leaders and their characteristics to the man called “the anti-christ”.  Many leaders have been anti-christ(against Christ).  

This man that is about to enter the worldly stage will be like none other.  He will come what seems to be all of the answers to mans most troubling woes.  He will do what all other peace seeking leaders have tried to do, he will sign a peace treaty with Israel for seven years(forty-two months).  The whole world will wonder at his abilities and within a very short time of his reign will set up three new societies on planet earth.

1.  One World Government

Somehow, he will be able to persuade all the world governments to meld into one “new world order”.  He will be the leader supreme, and he will not be challenged.  His reign is seven years.

2.  One World Economy

He gives power to his puppet, the Beast, and the beast will demand that all receive the name of the beast, the number of man, 666.  It will be on the right hand, or in the forehead.  This will seem to solve all the flaws in the economies of the world.  No fraud, counterfeiting, not even bankruptcy.  Those without this mark will not be able to buy or sell.

Those living during this time will be given only two choices, take the mark, or be killed.  Christians that know the Word of God will know if they take this mark they will be spend eternity in the lake of fire, hell.

3.  One World Religion

This man the anti-christ is just like the king of Babylon, he will be full of himself demanding everyone to bow down and worship the image of himself.  He will put forth an order that those who do not bow down shall be slaughtered, his main purpose for this is to rid the earth of Christians, and people of the Jewish faith.  This is where he will break the peace treaty with Israel. 

Those living in Israel will begin to hide and take shelter in the mountains around Israel.  They will hide in caves fearing for their very lives.

The body of Christ will be forced underground.  It will be much like present day China.  They will have no one to depend upon except Christ their Lord and each other.

The rest of the world will be thrusted into a final global war.  All armies will have their focus on a valley just outside Jerusalem, the valley of Armegeddon.  The armies of the world will begin to gather there, for the valley is large enough to hold all the armies of the world.  The Euphrates will be dammed and dried up for the Kings of the East to march down the river bend heading to Jerusalem.

The dead will be great for it will take seven years to bury the dead and the blood in the valley will run as high or higher than the horses bridel.  The vultures will fly over head and begin to feed on the flesh of the dead.  The stench of rotting flesh will be overwhelming.

Characteristics of this Man, “the Anti-Christ”

1.  Narcissistic

This man will have an over inflated ego like no one the world has ever seen or will see.  Most leaders who have tendencies of ‘anti-christ’ have a narcissist.  They demand that everyone worship them, love them, and cannot stand being challenged.

2.  Proud

This man will think he has all the answers and will convince the world of this very fact.  Yet, the Word tells us he is a phony, a fraudester.  His pride is what over takes him when he has a statue of his image built.

3.  He Will Crave All Power

Like those before him he will demand that he is the most powerful man on earth.  His generals, sargents of his army will fulfill his every demand and whim.  Those who oppose his power will be executed, usually by beheading.

He will make all autocrats that have been before him seem like kittens.  His word will be law and he will have a blood lust for those who would seem to be his opponents.  All nations will submit to his rule.

I believe his rule will be worldwide.  Now this seems to be of some debate among Bible Prophecy students and theologians.  Some that differ believe the rule of the anti-christ is regional, basically only the mid-east countries.

He Has Many Names

a.  Man of Sin, Son of Perdition – 2 Thessalonians 2:  KJV
3  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;

b. The wicked One – 2 Thessalonians 2: KJV
3  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;d One  

c. The Deceiver – 2 John 1: KJV
7  For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

Those are a few and if you want to look them up all you need is a study Bible with a good referance system.  It would behoove you to know all the names, like, “an angel of light”.

To the Christian take your eyes of those who seem to work miracles and set your eyes back to where they belong, on Christ Jesus.

If you follow signs and wonders you are a canidate for deception.

Do not seek wealth or fame here on this earth for they will soon rust and decay.  

Matthew 6:  KJV
19  Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Please do your soul and spirit a great big favor, sit down, grab your Bible and learn it from cover to cover.  Do not become on who is deceived.  You will not learn all you need to know in one reading.  

I started this journey as a young boy watching my dear maternal grandmother read her Bible sitting at the kitchen table.

I had a Pastor who would take me to his home and let me read his study aids.  No, there was no such thing as a computer.

I would urge you to use a Bible that you can mark up and make study notes in the margins.  When you are listening to a preacher, teacher, evangelist, etc. keep some note paper and a pen handy.

Then when you are alone in your home check and see if the message you have heard really does line up with the Word of God.  Never accept anything at face value.  Inspect everything, and that which is of God can stand inspection.

Learn that every subject can be traced from Genesis to Revelation in types and shadows.  Learn to how actually study, not just read and close the Bible.  I have studied the same verses over and over again and always find something new that God is revealing to me.

If you are listening to someone who says they have all knowledge about the Word of God, run to the nearest exit.  Flee from those who say that prophecy through them supercedes the written Word of God.  God never contradicts his own Word.  Yes, it would seem sometimes in scripture that there are contradictions.  Yet in time as you grow in your studies they begin to weave together like a finely knitted switted.

Then take the next step, do not keep what you have learned to yourself, share it with those around you.  God will let you know when it is the right time to tell someone.  That time is different for every living soul.

I can relate this way, you do not feed an infant steak, you nurse it with milk.  It takes a more mature being to chew and digest steak.  It is the same with Christians, some can only feed on the basic milk, as they grow then they become furtile soil for the meat of God’s Word.

Don’t take what this writer, myself has written, search the Scriptures like those in Berea when they heard the disciples teaching.

There is so much more I would like to write but I feel this is a good place to end.

2 Timothy 2:   KJV
15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

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If you find it raises questions feel free to email me @: rethinkingscripture.gmail.com

I will do my best to recommend you some great study aids and reading material that you should have in your personal library.