DAY 12 - The Revealing of the Antichrist
Since I made the claim yesterday that the Antichrist is not revealed by the confirming of the week long covenant, you may be wondering what event I believe does reveal his identity.
Verse 4 of 2 Thessalonians 2 is given for the specific reason of making us absolutely sure we know what event reveals the identity of the Antichrist.
“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 Thessalonians 2:4)
It is the “Abomination of Desolation” that reveals the Antichrist’s identity.
If the passage read “and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who shall confirm the covenant with many for one week”, we could (and should) conclude that the confirmation of the one week covenant reveals the identity of the Antichrist.
Howsoever, such is not the case.
The passage, by the inclusion of verse 4, clearly and undoubtedly points to the “Abomination of Desolation” as the identifying event. Interestingly, this is that same event that Jesus points to.
“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:” (Matthew 24:15-16)
“But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee into the mountains:” (Mark 13:14)
In both of these passages, just as in 2 Thessalonians, the event pointed to is the “Abomination of Desolation”.
Once the testimony of Jesus is considered, a logical question arises. If the confirming of the covenant was what reveals the identity of the Antichrist, why does Jesus not give His audience a three and a half year head start?
Their successfulness in fleeing would be exponentially increased if they started three and a half years earlier.
Why then does Jesus point to the “Abomination of Desolation” and not the confirming of the covenant? Perhaps most of the world will be unaware of this covenant, and therefore have to wait for the “Abomination”.
As this revealing of the Antichrist’s identity relates to pretribulationism, the error of their view is further exposed.
Since he must be revealed prior to the rapture and the beginning of the “Day of Christ”, these two events cannot occur until at least some time within the second half of the “Seventieth Week of Daniel”.
To not have Jesus return until after the Antichrist arrives and persecutes the believers is not what we would prefer, but our preference does not negate Biblical truth.
In Matthew 10:22 we are told, “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”
This is certainly not what Christians throughout the history of Christianity preferred, but it is the Biblical reality.
Many will take a look at the “great tribulation” (Matthew 24:21) and “affliction” (Mark 13:19) which begins after the “Abomination of Desolation” and desire to have no part in it.
When we are told that the Antichrist will “make war with the saints, and… overcome them” (Revelation 13:7), no one in their right mind desires to be overcome in a war with the Antichrist.
Yet, our feelings and desires cannot change what God reveals as truth.
Point #1: The Antichrist is revealed when he commits the “Abomination of Desolation”.
Point #2: This means that we may still be upon the earth for this event, and experience the persecution that follows it.
2+2=4
In case you missed them,
Introduction
Back Cover
1 : The Foundation
2 : The Tribulation
BONUS : A Biblical, New Testament Understanding of Tribulation
3 : The Seventieth Week of Daniel
4 : Not Appointed to Wrath
5 : Wrath vs. Tribulation
6 : The Day of the Lord
7 : The Lord Alone
8 : The Exaltation of the Antichrist
9 : Promises
10 : The Presupposition
11 : 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4