The Antichrist in type and shadow
Daniel’s Prophecy of The Abomination of Desolation
Daniel 9:24-27 – In these Scriptures, the angel Gabriel reveals to Daniel Israel’s future. Seventy weeks is the prophetic timeline that is decreed by him. There is MUCH to unwrap within this passage regarding the last days that needs to be studied by every Christian, but for now we want to concentrate on the abominations of the one who makes desolate which Daniel describes in other places within his writing. This is a dual prophecy, meaning it already occurred in history, and, per the teaching of Jesus, will again in the future line of the Lord’s prophetic timeclock.
24 "Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place.
25 "So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress.
26 "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood [see Matthew 24:37-41, Hosea 5:10]; even to the end there will be war; desolations [8074- “to be desolate, astonished, appalled, devastated, ravaged”] are determined.
27 "And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week [the 70th “week”], but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing [3671- “a wing, an extremity, an edge, a corner, a border”] of abominations [8251- “disgusting, a detestable or detested thing, an idol, an abominable thing, an abomination”] will come one who makes desolate [8074], even until a complete destruction [3617- “completion, termination, full end, complete destruction, consumption, annihilation”], one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate [8074]."
NASU
Daniel 11:29-32 – See the note below. This seems to have been fulfilled through Antiochus Epiphanes, when he, from the north invaded Egypt to the south, and then in a fit of rage desecrated the temple of the Jews (see the section below from gotquestions.org), but, per Jesus in Matthew 24:15, its further fulfillment is yet to come.
29 "At the appointed time he [the king of the north] will return and come into the South, but this last time it will not turn out the way it did before.
30 "For ships of Kittim will come against him; therefore he will be disheartened and will return and become enraged at the holy covenant and take action; so he will come back and show regard for those who forsake [5800- see def. below] the holy covenant [covenant breakers among God’s children].
31 "Forces from him will arise, desecrate [2490- “to wound, to dissolve, to desecrate, to profane, to defile, to pollute, to treat as common (see Hebrews 10:29 in NKJV; Ezekiel 44:23 in NIV)”] the sanctuary fortress [4720- “a consecrated thing or place, a sacred place, a sanctuary, used of the temple”], and do away with the regular sacrifice [8548- “always, continually, regularly”; see more below]. And they will set up the abomination [8251- see def. above] of desolation [8074- see def. above]. [See the commentaries below regarding what Antiochus Epiphanes did to desecrate the temple.]
32 "By smooth words [2514- “flattery, smoothness, fine promises”] he will turn to godlessness [2610] those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength [2388- “to be firm, to be resolute, to prevail, to be courageous”] and take action [it was the Maccabees the first time who forced out the enemy, and then rededicated the temple].
NASU
Daniel 11:32
32 With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.
NIV
OT:5800 `azab (aw-zab')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit, etc.:
KJV - commitself, fail, forsake, fortify, help, leave (destitute, off), refuse, surely.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
1) to leave, to loose, to forsake
a) (Qal) to leave
1) to depart from, to leave behind, to leave, to let alone
2) to leave, to abandon, to forsake, to neglect, to apostatize
3) to let loose, to set free, to let go, to free
b) (Niphal)
1) to be left to
2) to be forsaken
c) (Pual) to be deserted
2) to restore, to repair
(Qal) to repair
OT:8548 tamiyd (taw-meed') – Tamid occurs most frequently of the daily rituals in the tabernacle and temple: “Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually” (Exodus 29:38). The variety in the English versions indicates that both ideas — regularity and continuousness — are present in the Hebrew word. In this passage, tamid indicates that these rituals were to be performed regularly and without interruption for the duration of the old covenant… In Exodus 30:7-8, Aaron is commanded to burn incense morning and evening when he trims the lamps. He is told to offer “...a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations” (KJV). The same Hebrew expression is used often of priestly functions (cf. Numbers 28:6; Ezekiel 46:15).
(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
2610 chaneph (khaw-nafe')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; to soil, especially in a moral sense
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
to be profaned, to be defiled, to be polluted, to be corrupt
a) (Qal)
1) to be polluted [see James 1:27 in the note below]
2) to be profane, to be godless
b) (Hiphil)
1) to pollute
2) to make profane, to make godless, to cause to be defiled
Having an understanding of the abomination of desolation is to understand that this applies to the end of the age when there will be those in the church who will break covenant with Christ, thereby desecrating His inner sanctuary within them. Through continued practice of sin without repentance they have become enslaved to the spirit of antichrist. Because of this, when the antichrist arises on the scene, they will readily worship him, the one with whom their heart has already been joined together with. They have forsaken the “holy covenant,” loosing themselves from the Lord (see the Bible study Binding And Loosing).
The New Testament picture for us is to be careful to not desecrate the sanctuary of God within by treating as a “common thing” (see the definition for “desecrate” in verse 31) the blood of the Lord that sanctified us (Hebrews 10:29 in NKJV), and by removing the required daily sacrifice of our lives per the command of the Lord (Romans 12:1).
To turn to “godlessness” is to turn away from obedience to God, to break covenant with Him. It involves those who “act wickedly toward the covenant.” It’s, by definition, “to soil, especially in a moral sense; to be profaned, to be defiled, to be polluted, to be corrupt.” In other words, it is to become the soiled Bride of Christ that will be unprepared for His coming for them. Breaking covenant is still possible, and even more serious, in the new covenant because of the blood of Christ (Hebrews 10:26-31). James 1:27 says, “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” (NASU)
As we already discussed, “the abomination that causes desolation” involves those who “act wickedly toward the covenant,” and have abolished the daily sacrifice of their lives. Paul said “I die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31). Covenant breakers see no need for this “daily sacrifice.” They set themselves on the Lord’s throne in their hearts, daily doing their will rather then His, thereby desecrating His sanctuary within them. They are the man of lawlessness in 2 Thessalonians 2 who “takes his seat in the temple of God [i.e. within them], displaying himself as being God” (which is what Antiochus Epiphanes did in the temple in Jerusalem).
Those who forsake, or abandon the “holy covenant” through unholy living, profane the covenant (see my book Profaning The Covenant). Through continued disobedience, we destroy the only place of safety and deliverance, which is in Christ. Our lack of concern towards consecration to the Lord through the daily sacrifice of our lives is Satan’s objective. When we take this lightly, the spirit of antichrist has gotten a foothold within us. If unrepented of, this “godlessness” will destroy the Christian who has broken covenant with the Lord and will not repent (see the Bible studies The Spirit Of Antichrist, and Witchcraft).
Daniel 12:10-12
10 "Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.
11 "From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days [42.4 months; 3.5 years].
12 "How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days [45 days longer; 1.5 months]!
NASU
The following commentary is from The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament by Warren W. Wiersbe;
Prophecies about Antiochus Epiphanes and Syria (Daniel 11:21-35)
We have already met this wicked man (8:9-14) who in his character and activities is a picture of the future Antichrist. He gave himself the name “Epiphanes,” which means “glorious one,” but Gabriel calls him “a vile [contemptible] person.” Antiochus wasn't the heir to the throne, but he obtained it by guile. The true heir was Demetrius Soter, who was very young, so Antiochus claimed to be his lawful protector and seized the throne.
He was very successful in his military endeavors and knew how to combine deceptive strategy with brute force. In his first campaign against Egypt (11:25-28), he won the battle even though he failed to take all of Egypt. He sat down at the bargaining table with the Egyptian leaders, never intending to keep any agreements. In spite of deception on both sides, the Lord was still in control and was watching the calendar. He has His appointed times and He is always on time.
On his return to Syria in 170, Antiochus turned his attention to Israel and the wealth in the temple (v. 28). He plundered and defiled the temple, abolished the daily sacrifices, killed a great many Jews, and left soldiers behind to keep things in control. Two years later (168) he again invaded Egypt, but this time the Romans (v. 30. “ships of Chittim”) confronted him and told him to stop. He obeyed grudgingly and took out his anger on the Jews, with the help of Jewish traitors who forsook their own covenant to support him. He promised to reward them generously for their help.
On December 14, 168. Antiochus desecrated the temple by erecting an altar to Zeus and by offering a pig as a sacrifice. Gabriel calls this “the abomination that maketh desolate” (v. 31). The future Antichrist will put his own image in the Jewish temple when he breaks his covenant with the Jews in the middle of the seven-year tribulation period, Daniel's seventieth week (9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Matt 24:15; Mark 13:14). Antiochus was doing his best not only to exterminate the Jewish people but also to eliminate their religion from the earth. He promised to reward the Jews who followed his orders, and there were those who forsook their holy covenant to obey him. This was a time of testing and refining for the Jewish people, when they had to decide to obey the God of their fathers and possibly be slain, or submit to the pagan Syrian leaders and live as traitors to their faith (Daniel 11:34-35).
According to verses 33-35, there was a small group of faithful Jews who opposed the godlessness of Antiochus and trusted God to enable them to fight back. A Jewish priest named Mattathias, with his five sons, gathered an army and were able to fight back. His son Judas, nicknamed Maccabeus (“the hammerer”), was one of the heroes of this revolt. Many Jews laid down their lives for their city, their temple, and their faith, and finally they won. On December 14, 165, the temple was purified and the altar dedicated. (See Daniel 8:9-14, 23-25.) The Jews celebrate this occasion annually as the Feast of Lights (Hanukkah). Their enemy Antiochus Epiphanes died in Persia in 163. He was judged insane, and it was no wonder people called him “Antiochus Epimanes-Antiochus the madman.”
Gabriel closes this section about Antiochus by reminding Daniel that what he had related to him had implications for Israel in “the time of the end” (11:35). Although he had spoken about leaders who would appear after the fall of Persia, Daniel could see in those events some of the things that would happen to the Jews in the end times. This was especially true of Antiochus Epiphanes, a clear picture of the future Antichrist. Daniel knew that his people would endure great suffering for their faith, that some would apostatize and join the enemy, and that others would trust the Lord and “do exploits” (v. 32). No matter how difficult the times. God has always had His faithful remnant, and He will keep His covenant with His people to the very end.
The following commentary is from https://www.gotquestions.org/Antiochus-Epiphanes.html;
Question: “Who was Antiochus Epiphanes?”
Answer: Antiochus Epiphanes was a Greek king of the Seleucid Empire who reigned over Syria from 175 BC until 164 BC. He is famous for almost conquering Egypt and for his brutal persecution of the Jews, which precipitated the Maccabean revolt. Antiochus Epiphanes was a ruthless and often capricious ruler. He is properly Antiochus IV, but he took upon himself the title “Epiphanes,” which means “illustrious one” or “god manifest.” However, his bizarre and blasphemous behavior earned him another nickname among the Jews: “Epimanes,” which means “mad one.”An altercation between Antiochus Epiphanes and a Roman ambassador by the name of Gaius Popillius Laenas is the origin of the saying “to draw a line in the sand.” When Antiochus brought his army against Egypt in 168 BC, Popillius stood in his way and gave him a message from the Roman Senate ordering him to stop the attack. Antiochus responded that he would think it over and discuss it with his council, at which point Popillius drew a circle in the sand around Antiochus and told him that, if he did not give the Roman Senate an answer before crossing over the line in the sand, Rome would declare war. Antiochus decided to withdraw as Rome had requested.But the most famous conflict connected to Antiochus Epiphanes is the Maccabean revolt. During that time of history, there were two factions within Judaism: the Hellenists, who had accepted pagan practices and the Greek culture; and the Traditionalists, who were faithful to the Mosaic Law and the old ways. Supposedly to avoid a civil war between these two factions, Antiochus made a decree outlawing Jewish rites and worship, ordering the Jews to worship Zeus rather than Yahweh. He wasn’t just trying to Hellenize the Jews but to totally eliminate all traces of Jewish culture. Of course, the Jews rebelled against his decrees.In an act of brazen disrespect, Antiochus raided the temple in Jerusalem, stealing its treasures, setting up an altar to Zeus, and sacrificing swine on the altar. When the Jews expressed their outrage over the profaning of the temple, Antiochus responded by slaughtering a great number of the Jews and selling others into slavery. He issued even more draconian decrees: performing the rite of circumcision was punishable by death, and Jews everywhere were ordered to sacrifice to pagan gods and eat pig flesh.The Jewish response was to take up arms and fight. In 167—166 BC, Judas Maccabaeus led the Jews in a series of victories over the military forces of the Syrian-Greeks. After vanquishing Antiochus and the Seleucids, the Jews cleaned and restored the temple in c. 165.Antiochus Epiphanes is a tyrannical figure in Jewish history, and he is also a foreshadowing of the coming Antichrist. The prophet Daniel predicts an atrocity in the temple in the end times (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11). Daniel’s prophecy concerns a coming ruler who will cause the offerings to cease in the temple and set up “an abomination that causes desolation.” While what Antiochus did certainly qualifies as an abomination, Jesus speaks of Daniel’s prophecy as having a still-future fulfillment (Matthew 24:15–16; Mark 13:14; Luke 21:20–21). The Antichrist will model Antiochus Ephiphanes in his great pride, blasphemous actions, and hatred of the Jews.
(For more on Antiochus Epiphanes and his relation to the celebration of Hanukkah, see the Bible study called Hanukkah Insights.)
Jesus stressed the need to understand Daniel’s prophecy about the Abomination Of Desolation:
Matthew 24:15-28 – See the parallel passages in Mark 13:14 and Luke 21:20.
15 "Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION [946] OF DESOLATION [2050- “a making desolate”; see more def. below] which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.
17 "Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house.
18 "Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak.
19 "But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!
20 "But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath.
21 "For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.
22 "Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
23 "Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is,' do not believe him.
24 "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.
25 "Behold, I have told you in advance.
26 "So if they say to you, 'Behold, He is in the wilderness,' do not go out, or, 'Behold, He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe them.
27 "For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
28 "Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
NASU
NT:946 bdelugma (bdel'-oog-mah)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:948; a detestation, i.e. (specially) idolatry:
KJV - abomination.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
a foul thing, a detestable thing
a. universally (Luke 16:15)
b. in the O.T. it is often used of idols and things pertaining to idolatry, to be held in abomination by the
Israelites; as 1 Kings 11:6
c. the desolating abomination (Matthew 24:15)
NT:946 bdelugma – denotes an “object of disgust, an abomination.” This is said of the image to be set up by Antichrist (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14); of that which is highly esteemed amongst men, in contrast to its real character in the sight of God (Luke 16:15). The constant association with idolatry suggests that what is highly esteemed among men constitutes an idol in the human heart. In Revelation 21:27, entrance is forbidden into the Holy City on the part of the unclean, or one who “maketh an abomination and a lie.” It is also used of the contents of the golden cup in the hand of the evil woman described in Revelation 17:4, and of the name ascribed to her in the following verse
(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
NT:2050 eremosis (er-ay'-mo-sis) – denotes “desolation” (a) in the sense of “making desolate,” e. g., in the phrase “the abomination of desolation,” (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14); the genitive is objective, “the abomination that makes desolate”; (b) with stress upon the effect of the process (Luke 21:20), with reference to the “desolation” of Jerusalem
(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Other [946] verses:
Luke 16:13-15
13 "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."
14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him.
15 And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable [946] in the sight of God.
NASU
Revelation 17:1-6 – In John’s description of Babylon, “the mother of harlots and of the abominations [946] of the earth,” she is said to have in her hand “a gold cup full of abominations [946] and of the unclean things of her immorality [“…and the filth of her adulteries.” (NIV)] …”
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters,
2 with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality."
3 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a gold cup full of abominations [946] and of the unclean things [169] of her immorality [4202; “…and the filth of her adulteries.” (NIV),
5 and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, "BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS [946] OF THE EARTH."
6 And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly.
NASU
NT:169 akathartos (ak-ath'-ar-tos)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:1 (as a negative particle) and a presumed derivative of NT:2508 (meaning cleansed); impure (ceremonially, morally [lewd] or specially, [demonic]):
KJV - foul, unclean.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
not cleansed, unclean
a. in a ceremonial sense, that which must be abstained from according to the Levitical law, lest impurity be contracted (Acts 10:14)
b. in a moral sense, unclean in thought and life (frequent in Plato) (see Ephesians 5:5)
NT:4202 porneia (por-ni'-ah)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:4203; harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively, idolatry:
KJV - fornication.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
fornication
a. used properly, of illicit sexual intercourse (Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25)
b. Used in accordance with a form of speech common in the O.T. and among the Jews which represents the close relationship existing between Jehovah and his people under the figure of a marriage
Revelation 21:22-27 – In this chapter, John is describing “the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.” (v.2) In fact, verse 9 says, “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, ‘Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.’” John then says in verse 10, “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God…” (See the Bible study Jerusalem; The Throne Of The Lord.) Within are the pure and spotless “Bride company” among the children of God who will rule with the authority of their Husband, Jesus Christ. Entrance will not be allowed to anyone who “practices abomination and lying.” Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life will enter in.
22 I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
23 And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.
25 In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed;
26 and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it;
27 and nothing unclean [2839- “common, belonging to several [versus that which belongs to few], defiled, profane, unholy”], and no one who practices abomination [946] and lying [5579- “falsehood, a lie”], shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
NASU
The following passages are from the Bible study The Desolate Woman And The Married Woman:
Zechariah 7:9-14 – The lack of purity, of obedience to the Lord among His children caused the “pleasant land” to become desolate. Due to their refusal to listen to the Lord when He called out to them, He would not listen to them when they cried out to Him. This will happen in the church at the end of this age. As revealed through the apathy of the foolish virgins, for many it will be too late.
9 "Thus has the LORD of hosts said, 'Dispense true justice, and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother;
10 and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.'
11 "But they refused to pay attention, and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing.
12 "And they made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.
13 "And it came about that just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen," says the LORD of hosts; [see Proverbs 1:20-33]
14 "but I scattered them with a storm wind among all the nations whom they have not known. Thus the land is desolated [8047- “ruin, waste, horror, appalment”] behind them, so that no one went back and forth, for they made the pleasant [2532- “delight, desirable”] land desolate [8074- “to be desolate, astonished, appalled, devastated, ravaged”]."
(NAS)
Micah 7:13
13 The earth will become desolate [8077- “devastation, waste, desolation”] because of its inhabitants, as the result of their deeds.
(NIV)
Daniel 11:28-32 – See the note below.
28 "Then he [the king of the north] will return to his land with much plunder; but his heart will be set against the holy covenant, and he will take action and then return to his own land.
29 "At the appointed time he will return and come into the South, but this last time it will not turn out the way it did before.
30 "For ships of Kittim will come against him; therefore he will be disheartened, and will return and become enraged at the holy covenant and take action; so he will come back and show regard [“to give heed to, to mark”] for those who forsake [“to leave, abandon”] the holy covenant.
31 "And forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary [“a consecrated thing or place, the holy place”] fortress, and do away with the regular [“daily”] sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation.
32 "And by smooth words [“flattery, fine promises”] he will turn to godlessness [2610] those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength [“to be courageous, firm, resolute”] and take action.
(NAS)
2610 chaneph (khaw-nafe')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; to soil, especially in a moral sense
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
to be profaned, to be defiled, to be polluted, to be corrupt
a) (Qal)
1) to be polluted
2) to be profane, to be godless
b) (Hiphil)
1) to pollute
2) to make profane, to make godless, to cause to be defiled
This passage speaks of “the abomination that causes desolation” (see Daniel 9:27 and 12:11). It involves those who “act wickedly toward the covenant.” The king of the North is said to have abolished the daily sacrifice. Paul said “I die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31). Covenant breakers see no need for this “daily sacrifice.” They set themselves on the Lord’s throne in their hearts, daily doing their will, thereby desecrating His sanctuary within themselves. They are the man of lawlessness in 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2 who “takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God” (which is what Antiochus did as witnessed by his name).
Those who forsake, or abandon the “holy covenant” through unholy living, profane the covenant (see my book Profaning The Covenant). Through continued disobedience, we destroy the place of protection in Christ. Our lack of concern towards consecration to the Lord through the daily sacrifice of our lives is Satan’s objective. When we take this lightly, the spirit of antichrist has gotten a foothold within us. If unrepented of, this “godlessness” will destroy the Christian who has broken covenant with the Lord and will not repent (see the Bible study The Spirit Of Antichrist).
Matthew 23:37-39 – Because of Israel’s unwillingness to listen to the word of the Lord through His prophets to gather to Him, their “house,” or dwelling would become a desolate, uninhabited wilderness deserted by the Shepherd. They will not see Him again until the appointed time at the end.
37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.
38 Look, your house is left to you desolate [2048].
39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
(NIV)
2048 eremos (er'-ay-mos)
of uncertain affinity; lonesome, i.e. (by implication) waste (usually as a noun, 5561 being implied):
KJV-- desert, desolate, solitary, wilderness.
solitary, lonely, desolate, uninhabited
a) used of places:
1) a desert, a wilderness
2) deserted places, lonely regions
3) an uncultivated region fit for pasturage
b) used of persons:
1) deserted by others
2) deprived of the aid and protection of others, especially of friends, acquaintances, kindred
3) bereft
a) used of a flock deserted by the shepherd
b) used of a woman neglected by her husband from whom the husband withholds himself
Luke 21:20-23 – In this comparative passage to Matthew 24:15-22 above, Luke adds verse 20 which speaks of the desolation of Jerusalem at the end of this age.
20 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is at hand.
21 "Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are in the midst of the city depart, and let not those who are in the country enter the city;
22 because these are days of vengeance [see Luke 4:18-19 and Isaiah 61:1-2], in order that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
23 "Woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babes in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land, and wrath to this people,
(NAS)
The Spirit Of Antichrist In The Church
(See the Bible study The Spirit Of Antichrist.)
1 John 2:17-18
17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist [500- “against Christ” or “instead of Christ”; one who stands in opposition to all that Jesus Christ represents] is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.
NIV
1 John 2:22-25
22 Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist — he denies the Father and the Son.
23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges [3670- “to say the same thing as another, i.e. to agree with”] the Son has the Father also.
24 See that what you have heard from the beginning remains [3306- see def. in verses below] in you. If it does, you also will remain [3306] in the Son and in the Father. [See John 15:1-11]
25 And this is what he promised us — even eternal life.
NIV
1 John 3:24-4:3 – See the note below.
24 And the one who keeps His commandments abides [3306- “to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy), to remain, not to depart, not to leave, to continue to be present”] in Him, and He in him. And we know by this that He abides [3306] in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test [1381] the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses [3670] that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God;
3 and every spirit that does not confess [3670] Jesus is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist [500- “against Christ; one who stands in opposition to all that Jesus Christ represents.”], of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.
(NAS)
NT:1381 dokimazo (dok-im-ad'-zo)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:1384; to test (literally or figuratively); by implication, to approve:
KJV - allow, discern, examine, like, (ap-) prove, try.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
to try
1. to test, examine, prove, scrutinize (1 Peter 1:7)
2. to recognize as genuine after examination, to approve, deem worthy (1 Cor. 16:3)
NT:3670 homologeo (hom-ol-og-eh'-o)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from a compound of the base of NT:3674 and NT:3056; to assent, i.e. covenant, acknowledge:
KJV - con- (pro-) fess, confession is made, give thanks, promise.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. properly, to say the same thing as another, i. e. to agree with, assent,
2. universally, to concede
a. not to refuse, i. e. to promise:
b. not to deny, i. e. to confess; declare (John 1:20)
3. to profess (Titus 1:16)
4. to praise, celebrate (Hebrews 13:15)
In this passage, John warns us to not believe every spirit/person that claims to be from God. Instead, we are to test the spirit of the person to see if they are from God or not from God which is the spirit of antichrist. How can you tell a false prophet from a true one? By watching their life to see if Jesus has truly come to abide in them (“in the flesh”, their flesh). Does their walk proclaim that Jesus is their Lord, and that they have not received His grace in vain, which means “empty, fruitless, and without effect”? (2 Cor. 6:1) Those who walk in the Spirit will have discernment to sense and then see the true condition of their heart. You will have a sense that something is not right. We must listen to these promptings within. He will always confirm it if we’re not yet sure. At times, though, it will be very obvious.
Jesus said,
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:15-20/NASU)
Also, per verse 24, it is by keeping the commandments of the Lord that we continue/remain in Him, not departing from Him. This is why it is so dangerous to remain in a state of rebellion against the Lord, to continue sinning against Him. The Greek for “antichrist” is antichristos (an-tee'-khris-tos) which means “an opponent of Messiah, the adversary of the Messiah.” Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words states that it can mean either “against Christ” or “instead of Christ,” or perhaps, combining the two, “one who, assuming the guise of Christ, opposes Christ.” (See the section The Unfaithful Children Of God; From Savior To Enemy in the Bible study Cultivate Faithfulness.)
2 John 7-11 – See the note below.
7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge [3670- see def. above] Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver [4108- “wandering, or leading astray, seducing, an impostor”] and the antichrist [500- “against Christ; one who stands in opposition to all that Jesus Christ represents.”].
8 Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.
9 Anyone who goes too far [4254] and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.
10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;
11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.
NASU
NT:4254 proago (pro-ag'-o)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:4253 and NT:71; to lead forward (magisterially); intransitively, to precede (in place or time [participle previous]):
KJV - bring (forth, out), go before.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. transitive, to lead forward, lead forth (Acts 16:30)
2. intransitive
a. to go before (Luke 18:39)
b. to proceed, go forward; in a bad sense, to go further than is right or proper
As already mentioned above, the Greek for “antichrist” is antichristos (an-tee'-khris-tos) which means “an opponent of Messiah, the adversary of the Messiah.” Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words states the following;
“…it can mean either “against Christ” or “instead of Christ,” or perhaps, combining the two, “one who, assuming the guise of Christ, opposes Christ.”
Therefore, to “not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh” is to not confess Him as being your Lord through obedient submission to His will. What you say with your mouth does not align with your deeds/works. Through rebellion to His will (disobedience/unfaithfulness) after receiving Him (Hebrews 10:26), He has not been allowed to change your fleshly nature. His grace shown toward you is not being reflected in your life (i.e. “is in vain”, 2 Cor. 6:1). Because of your opposition against Him, He has not been allowed to come into your flesh[ly nature] and conform you to His image. To oppose the Lord by saying “no” to the ministry of the Holy Spirit within is to deny Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior (2 Timothy 2:12), after turning to Him. This is the clear warning from Jude 5 that many have perverted to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:16). If Jesus is not allowed to be Lord (i.e. Lordship) after confessing Him as such, He cannot save us (Jude 5).
Peter warns Christians to be obedient and conduct ourselves in fear during our time on earth so as not to be re-conformed to the former lusts we were enslaved to before turning to Christ;
“As obedient children, do not be conformed [see Romans 12:1-3] to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.”
(1 Peter 1:14-19/NASU)
When we fight the work of the Holy Spirit within us, not working together with Him (2 Cor. 6:1), we are fighting against God thereby becoming an enemy of His (see the section The Unfaithful Children Of God; From Savior To Enemy in the Bible study Cultivate Faithfulness). This is a doctrine that produces the fear of the Lord and His judgments so as to keep us from sinning so that we may remain near Him, and in Him (John 15:1-6).
Again, how does the spirit of a person confess that Jesus Christ has come into their flesh? By the witness of a changed life. You are getting victory over sin through submission to the indwelling power of God which is in you. The fruit of the Spirit is being manifested within you. You are allowing the Holy Spirit to put to death the deeds of the flesh and are therefore being conformed to the image of Christ. Simply asking someone, as I’ve heard some do and even ask me, “Did Jesus Christ, as God, come into a fleshly body?” This is not the question to be asking because even Satan, and many other cults, believe this!
You confess the spirit of antichrist through the lack of a manifestation of Christ-likeness. There are no fruits of His Holy Spirit being manifested in you. You are denying, or saying no, to His power within you (2 Timothy 3:5) to overcome the sinful nature and to replace it with His nature. The Father must see His Son in us. We must, after receiving Christ, put Him on through obedience (Ephesians 4:20-24). I am not talking about someone who occasionally stumbles in sin, but the person who continues to practice sin with no intent of repenting (see 1 John 3:4-10). The fear of the Lord, through the truth, is to keep us from continuing in sin (Exodus 20:20, Psalm 78:22, 1 Cor. 15:33-34, Hebrews 10:26-31, Romans 6:1, 2 Peter 2:10-15).
Going Too Far
One other point that needs to be brought out in this passage is in the verse;
“Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.” (v.9) The NIV interprets this verse, “Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue [KJV/NKJV; “Whoever transgresses…”] in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.”
The Greek for “goes too far” is proago (pro-ag'-o). It’s defined as “to lead forward, lead forth, to precede, to go before, in a bad sense, to go further than is right or proper.” It refers to our going ahead of God when He should always be in front of us, leading us in the way we should go (Deut. 1:33, Psalm 32:8, Isa. 48:17). It reveals who is leading, Him or us.
John says, in fact, that if we continue in this manner of self-guidance, apart from the Holy Spirit’s, we will “not have God” which by definition means “to have (hold) in the hand [similar to breaking a marriage vow], in the sense of wearing a garment, to hold fast, to keep, to own, possess.” In other words, we will not keep our possession of Him having become a covenant breaker. We will have, through our own choice, let go of Him (Jer. 17:4).
For more verses on the Lord’s leading and guidance in a Christian’s life (His going before us) with the Greek word proago (pro-ag'-o) [4254], see Matthew 2:9, 26:32, and 28:7. Also see John 16:13 and 14:1-3 which refers to His going before us to prepare a place. He is the only One who knows (and is) the way to the Father.
After responding to a question from the Pharisees with a rebuke, Jesus’ disciples came to Him and said that He had offended them. He replied,
“Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
(Matthew 15:13-14/NIV)
There are many blind guides in the church today who have gone too far, not abiding in the teachings of Christ, and are blindly leading people into the “broad way that leads to destruction” (Matthew 7:13-14).
While telling us that many people with the spirit of antichrist have already appeared, John declared;
“They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.”
(1 John 2:19/NASU)
He then gave a warning in verses 20-24 to the Christian who knows the truth to be careful to not deny (“to disown”) Jesus as their Lord by the spirit of antichrist and be “carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.” (2 Peter 3:16-18/NIV) These are two different groups among the church that John is describing; one who did not know the truth and those who do know the truth but were led astray through acceptance of the lies spread through “lawless men,” causing them to fall away (the great apostasy) from their “secure position.” Judgment will be worse for those who know the truth and then turn away, believing in the false teachings of the “son of destruction” in the church, versus those who do not know (see Luke 12:47-48 and 2 Peter 2:20-22).
2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 – See the note below regarding the connection between apostasy, lawlessness, and the divorce of God from His rejected followers that, through rebellion of His lordship over them, have been given over to their sin and become sons, and daughters, of ruin and loss.
1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,
2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy [646] comes first, and the man [444- “a human being, male or female”] of lawlessness [“illegality; the condition of one without law, knowingly or not”] is revealed, the son [5207- “a son, a descendant, one of the posterity of anyone, kinship; primarily signifying the relation of offspring to parent”] of destruction [684],
4 who opposes [480] and exalts himself [5229] above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
NASU
NT:646 apostasia (ap-os-tas-ee'-ah)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
feminine of the same as NT:647 [apostasion (ap-os-tas'-ee-on) – “something separative, divorce, repudiation, a bill of divorce”]; defection from truth (properly, the state); revolt ["apostasy"]:
KJV - falling away, forsake.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
a falling away, defection, apostasy (Acts 21:21)
NT:684 apoleia (ap-o'-li-a)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from a presumed derivative of NT:622; ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal):
KJV - damnable (-nation), destruction, die, perdition, perish, pernicious ways, waste.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. actively, a destroying, utter destruction: as, of vessels (Romans 9:22)
2. passively, a perishing, ruin, destruction
a. in general: let thy money perish with thee (Acts 8:20)
b. in particular, the destruction which consists in the loss of eternal life, eternal misery, perdition, the lot
of those excluded from the kingdom of God (Rev. 17:8,11)
NT:480 antikeimai (an-tik'-i-mahee)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:473 and NT:2749; to lie opposite, i.e. be adverse (figuratively, repugnant) to:
KJV - adversary, be contrary, oppose.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. to be set over against, lie opposite to,
2. to oppose, be adverse to, withstand: tini (Luke 13:17)
NT:5229 huperairomai (hoop-er-ah'-ee-rom-ahee)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
middle voice from NT:5228 and NT:142; to raise oneself over, i.e. (figuratively) to become haughty:
KJV - exaltself, be exalted above measure.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
to lift or raise up over something, to lift oneself up, be exalted, be haughty (2 Cor. 12:7); above one (2 Thess. 2:4); to carry oneself haughtily to, behave insolently toward one
While discussing “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,” Paul describes those with the spirit of antichrist. They will oppose God and will, like Antiochus Epiphanes, exalt themselves, proclaiming themselves to be God through their actions. They do not confess that Jesus has come into their flesh, that He is now their Lord by keeping His commandments. They do not continue abiding in Him (1 John 3:6), walking in the same manner as He walked (1 John 2:3-6). Instead, they are led by their own desires and will (Philippians 3:19), thereby sitting on the throne of God within them (i.e. the temple of their body), walking in the power of the flesh rather than the Spirit.
The Greek for “apostasy” is apostasia (ap-os-tas-ee'-ah) which is defined as “a falling away, defection from truth, revolt, apostasy.” It’s the feminine form of apostasion (ap-os-tas'-ee-on) which means “something separative, divorce, repudiation (rejection; see below), a bill of divorce.” Because we are said to be the Bride of Christ, it makes sense that in this case the feminine form would be used when discussing the great falling away of His people from Him before His return. From this we see that the apostasy is the Lord granting a bill of divorce to those of His followers who, because of hardness of heart caused by rebellion, have fallen away from Him through spiritual adultery. They did not stand firm until the end in their devotion to Christ, but instead chose to fulfill the cravings of the flesh, outside the boundaries of the covenant, without any concern of repenting; “and great was their fall” (Matthew 7:21-27).
One of the definitions for apostasion is repudiation. Per Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, to repudiate is;
To have nothing to do with; to cast off; to disavow; to renounce; to reject.
To divorce, put away, or discard, as a wife, or a woman one has promised to marry. [From this you can see that the promise of eternal life can become null and void because of unfaithfulness in the covenant with Christ.]
To refuse to acknowledge or to pay; to disclaim [to disown; to deny the possession of; to reject as not belonging to ones self; to deny all claim].
Implies a casting off or disowning as untrue, unauthorized, or unworthy of acceptance.
(For more on the Rejected sons and daughters of God, see the Bible studies Worthless Men, Reprobate, and Evildoers In The House Of God.)
Sons Of Destruction; Of Ruin Or Loss
In his warning above to the Thessalonian Christians, Paul defined the character of those who would be numbered in the great apostasy before the coming of the Lord. He said;
“Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes [480] and exalts himself [5229] above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
(2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)
Per the original language, lawlessness is defined as “illegality; the condition of one without law, knowingly or not.” Satan has deceitfully hidden the truth of this passage through his doctrines of demons. In his first letter to Timothy, Paul warns us of this deception, saying;
“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention [4337- “to turn the mind to, to apply oneself to, attach oneself to, to hold to”] to deceitful [4108- “wandering, leading astray, seducing; an impostor, corrupter”] spirits and doctrines of demons.”
(1 Timothy 4:1/NASU)
Satan’s smoke screen of deception in this passage is with the intent to place our attention on a man called “the antichrist” rather than seeing ourselves as possibly being the rebellious ones in the church who have been given over to the spirit of antichrist. The “man of lawlessness,” the “son of destruction” is a Christian who has cast of the restraints of the Holy Spirit with a rebellious spirit.
After receiving Jesus Christ as their Lord, they have then lifted themselves above Him and His will in their journey to the Promised Land of their eternal inheritance, displaying themselves as God in their hearts. As the children of Israel discovered in their journey in the wilderness, and our are example of what not to crave (1 Corinthians 10:1-12), the promise alone was not enough. Theirs and our entrance into the desired place of eternal rest in Christ would require their submissive obedience along the way. It is nothing less than sheer arrogance to believe that we can enter into eternity while walking in continued rebellion even though they could not (see Hebrews, chapters 3 and 4).
The Greek for “destruction” is apoleia (ap-o'-li-a) which means “ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal), a perishing, ruin, destruction” (see 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 above). Thayer’s Greek Lexicon describes it as, “the destruction which consists in the loss of eternal life, eternal misery, perdition, the lot of those excluded from the kingdom of God (Rev. 17:8,11).” Again, this loss is not just for the unbeliever, but also for the unbelieving believer (see the Bible study Unbelieving Believers).
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