between the
book of Revelation and the Antichrist?
The name Antichrist generally
designates the satanic power that will fight the Messiah during the apocalyptic
times.
But few have bothered to read the
book of Revelation carefully to see if the name Antichrist is in it. You would
be very surprised to find out that in the book of Revelation the name
Antichrist is not mentioned at all!
There is a great confusion about the
Antichrist, his role and the meaning of his name.
The only apparent and immediate
connection between the book of Revelation and the Antichrist is the apostle
John, the one who wrote the book of Revelation.
Indeed John and John alone is the
one who used the name Antichrist in his first two epistles. Otherwise, the name
Antichrist is not used anywhere else in the Bible!
Another thing to keep in mind is
that in the original Greek text, on the contrary of what I thought, it is indeed
the word antichrist ( αντιχρισυοσ
) that is used and not the word antechrist. Some
Bible versions are using by mistake antechrist.
Antichrist means the adversary of Christ, a meaning very different from the
Greek word Antechrist which would mean the one placing
Christ and which would be translated into Latin by Vicarius
Christ which is the official title of the Pope. But this interpretation is
completely wrong and should be forgotten.
On the other hand, the book of
Revelation in chapter 13, from verse 11, reveals the appearance in the near
future of a beast rising from the earth. This beast had two horns similar to
those of a lamb but unlike the lamb of our Father, this beast will speak like
the dragon, namely, the speech of Satan, the Devil.
Every believer knows that Satan's
speech aims to divert men from the commandments of our Father with the hope of
changing times and the law! This is what the prophet Daniel is revealing in
chapter 7 and verse 25.
This beast coming up out of the
earth and which is described in Revelation will seduce most of the human beings
on earth by performing great signs and miracles. This beast will probably claim
that he is the lamb of Elohim and that mankind must worship the beast rising
from the sea; this one would hold in a way the place of God the Father! This
beast, it must be remembered, will enjoy all the power of Satan and sit on his
throne.
Jesus, the only true lamb of our
Father, warned us in Matthew 7, from verse 15: " “Beware of false prophets, who come to
you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves..... 23
And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!"
This beast who is rising from the
earth and described in Revelation 13 is also the false prophet who will be caught
with the beast rising from the sea to be thrown alive into the lake of fire
burning with brimstone (Revelation 19: 20-21).
This false prophet will probably use
all possible stratagems to pretend at that time that he is Jesus, the Messiah
and if so, he will try to occupy his place. This is precisely the definition of
the title of Vicarius Christi: someone who takes the
place of Jesus-Christ, who occupies the place of Jesus-Christ, according to the
etymology of the Latin word "vicarius
Christi".
This is a story to follow carefully
as it has a vital importance for the believers.