The identity of 'The Antichrist' is a deep Biblical secret. God's Word actually reveals the coming Antichrist our Lord Jesus and His Apostles warned us about will be Satan himself, on earth, in plain sight. And by that I do not... mean Satan simply possessing some flesh man to perform his working on earth. I mean Satan, Lucifer, the devil, the dragon, himself, de facto, in person, on earth revealed in our material dimension with the image of man. It is this difference in understanding who the real Antichrist will be that will determine how many brethren will not be deceived when he comes.
Did you not know that God created the angels with His outward likeness and appearance also? This is shown at the end of Genesis 1. Later Bible examples are from flesh people seeing angels with the image of man, like in Lot's day (Genesis 19). This revealing from God's Word must be settled in the believer's mind and understood, otherwise the believer simply will not understand our existence, nor God's existence and His Working involving this earth and its inhabitants compared to the Heavenly and the angels. It is very easy to get all wrapped up in this flesh world and life and be terribly deceived about Lucifer's overthrow of old and not realizing it being one of the main reasons for God establishing His Plan of Salvation through His Son Jesus Christ and the world to come when the devil will be destroyed. It is likewise a mark of deception by not understanding the two dimensions of existence God's Word reveals, i.e. the earthly vs. the heavenly.
Our Lord Jesus Warned Us Satan is Coming to Earth:
John 12:31
31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
KJV
Our Lord Jesus said that to His disciples just prior to His being delivered up to be crucified. It is traditionally interpreted to mean that at our Lord Jesus' death on the cross cast Satan out of this world. Our Lord Jesus' death on the cross did fulfill the first phrase, "Now is the judgment of this world:", meaning the judgment and sentence of the devil to perish was then put into official effect at Jesus' death on the cross. But we know through our Lord Jesus' Revelation that it's not yet time today for the devil to be destroyed. So this judgment upon the world is pending until Christ's return, when it will begin, as per Apostle Paul, et al (1 Cor.15:23-28).
How did our Lord Jesus then mean that, "now shall the prince of this world be cast out"? We know per Revelation 20 it's not until Christ's return and future reign with His elect when the devil is cast into chains in his pit prison for the thousand years. So the devil is still roaming the earth today, seeking whom he may devour according to Apostle Peter (1 Peter 5:8). And just where was the devil when Jesus spoke that to His disciples? Where was he to be "cast out" to? Our Lord Jesus gave us more about that in John 14...
John 14:30
30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me.
KJV
There our Lord Jesus was more direct about Lucifer coming to our world. And He was actually very revealing about it to a deeper level in the John 12:31 example of his being "cast out". In Revelation 12 is where our Lord Jesus through John revealed the prince of this world coming de facto to our dimension on the earth:
Rev 12:7-11
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
KJV
Our Lord Jesus laid all the cards on the table about the coming Antichrist with that revealing through Apostle John. That "dragon" is simply another title for Satan himself. That is the "cast out" our Lord Jesus was pointing to in the John 12:31 verse. How so?
The "dragon", i.e. Satan, is a Heavenly being, a covering cherub. He has the image of man because that also is the image likeness God created the angels with. His home is in the Heavenly dimension, even though the abode of hell is in a place of separation in the Heavenly, away from God and His angels (see Luke 16). If you don't understand that, then you won't understand what this 'casting out' means. It means the devil is to be cast out of the Heavenly dimension into... OUR earthly dimension!
Some confuse that Revelation 12 casting out example with Satan's original rebellion of old, when he drew a third of the angels into rebellion with him. It's impossible to apply that time of old here with this casting out, simply because the power of Christ in the Heavenly takes place when Satan is cast out of the Heavenly here, and also with the pointer to the overcomers in Christ Jesus, which links to the 5th Seal martyrs of Revelation 6 for the end.
Rev 13:4-8
4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
KJV
Those events of Rev.13:5-7 were first given in the Book of Daniel about the coming false one (see Daniel 7).
Revelation 13:11 links that "dragon" with the one who is to come performing great signs and wonders and miracles, raining fire down from heaven in the sight of men:
Rev 13:11-14
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
KJV
That is about the coming Antichrist. That is the "dragon" of Rev.13:4 that will come and cause the whole world to worship him as God, excepting Christ's elect. It is the pseudo-Christ which our Lord Jesus forewarned for the end in Matthew 24:23-26, where He said for those in Jerusalem, when someone comes up to you and says, "Lo, Christ is here, or there", to believe it not! It is the one Apostle Paul warned us about in 2 Thessalonians 2 that is to come and sit in a built temple in Jerusalem and proclaim himself as God, working lying wonders and great signs to deceive with.
Those events the Antichrist that is to come will do will be a mimic of his first rebellion against God in the time of old. In Isaiah 14, God gave a proverb about Lucifer wanting to be The GOD, even bragging how he will sit over the congregation in the north (i.e., in God's Seat). Our Heavenly Father rebuked Lucifer there using his own words of how he said he will exalt himself as God. That is how Lucifer originally rebelled against God in the time of old, prior to this present world, and prior to Adam and Eve's day. God ended Lucifer's rebellion of old, and then our Heavenly Father brought this present world to offer His Plan of Salvation through His Son Jesus Christ's death on the cross.
For one last time, in order to do much pruning for this world, God is going to allow Lucifer to come to our world and play God, allowing those who do not listen to God and His Son to be deceived. That is what Apostle Paul's "strong delusion" of 2 Thessalonians 2 is about. That day of deception is growing very close today. Being raptured so as to not be subject to the "strong delusion" is not Biblical; it instead is an idea grown by Lucifer's host on earth today in order to prepare the deceived to 'fly away' to Lucifer when he appears on earth (see Matt.24:28 and last verses of Luke 17 as to where the deceived who are "taken" will be gathered).
Did you not know that God created the angels with His outward likeness and appearance also? This is shown at the end of Genesis 1. Later Bible examples are from flesh people seeing angels with the image of man, like in Lot's day (Genesis 19). This revealing from God's Word must be settled in the believer's mind and understood, otherwise the believer simply will not understand our existence, nor God's existence and His Working involving this earth and its inhabitants compared to the Heavenly and the angels. It is very easy to get all wrapped up in this flesh world and life and be terribly deceived about Lucifer's overthrow of old and not realizing it being one of the main reasons for God establishing His Plan of Salvation through His Son Jesus Christ and the world to come when the devil will be destroyed. It is likewise a mark of deception by not understanding the two dimensions of existence God's Word reveals, i.e. the earthly vs. the heavenly.
Our Lord Jesus Warned Us Satan is Coming to Earth:
John 12:31
31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
KJV
Our Lord Jesus said that to His disciples just prior to His being delivered up to be crucified. It is traditionally interpreted to mean that at our Lord Jesus' death on the cross cast Satan out of this world. Our Lord Jesus' death on the cross did fulfill the first phrase, "Now is the judgment of this world:", meaning the judgment and sentence of the devil to perish was then put into official effect at Jesus' death on the cross. But we know through our Lord Jesus' Revelation that it's not yet time today for the devil to be destroyed. So this judgment upon the world is pending until Christ's return, when it will begin, as per Apostle Paul, et al (1 Cor.15:23-28).
How did our Lord Jesus then mean that, "now shall the prince of this world be cast out"? We know per Revelation 20 it's not until Christ's return and future reign with His elect when the devil is cast into chains in his pit prison for the thousand years. So the devil is still roaming the earth today, seeking whom he may devour according to Apostle Peter (1 Peter 5:8). And just where was the devil when Jesus spoke that to His disciples? Where was he to be "cast out" to? Our Lord Jesus gave us more about that in John 14...
John 14:30
30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me.
KJV
There our Lord Jesus was more direct about Lucifer coming to our world. And He was actually very revealing about it to a deeper level in the John 12:31 example of his being "cast out". In Revelation 12 is where our Lord Jesus through John revealed the prince of this world coming de facto to our dimension on the earth:
Rev 12:7-11
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
KJV
Our Lord Jesus laid all the cards on the table about the coming Antichrist with that revealing through Apostle John. That "dragon" is simply another title for Satan himself. That is the "cast out" our Lord Jesus was pointing to in the John 12:31 verse. How so?
The "dragon", i.e. Satan, is a Heavenly being, a covering cherub. He has the image of man because that also is the image likeness God created the angels with. His home is in the Heavenly dimension, even though the abode of hell is in a place of separation in the Heavenly, away from God and His angels (see Luke 16). If you don't understand that, then you won't understand what this 'casting out' means. It means the devil is to be cast out of the Heavenly dimension into... OUR earthly dimension!
Some confuse that Revelation 12 casting out example with Satan's original rebellion of old, when he drew a third of the angels into rebellion with him. It's impossible to apply that time of old here with this casting out, simply because the power of Christ in the Heavenly takes place when Satan is cast out of the Heavenly here, and also with the pointer to the overcomers in Christ Jesus, which links to the 5th Seal martyrs of Revelation 6 for the end.
Rev 13:4-8
4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
KJV
Those events of Rev.13:5-7 were first given in the Book of Daniel about the coming false one (see Daniel 7).
Revelation 13:11 links that "dragon" with the one who is to come performing great signs and wonders and miracles, raining fire down from heaven in the sight of men:
Rev 13:11-14
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
KJV
That is about the coming Antichrist. That is the "dragon" of Rev.13:4 that will come and cause the whole world to worship him as God, excepting Christ's elect. It is the pseudo-Christ which our Lord Jesus forewarned for the end in Matthew 24:23-26, where He said for those in Jerusalem, when someone comes up to you and says, "Lo, Christ is here, or there", to believe it not! It is the one Apostle Paul warned us about in 2 Thessalonians 2 that is to come and sit in a built temple in Jerusalem and proclaim himself as God, working lying wonders and great signs to deceive with.
Those events the Antichrist that is to come will do will be a mimic of his first rebellion against God in the time of old. In Isaiah 14, God gave a proverb about Lucifer wanting to be The GOD, even bragging how he will sit over the congregation in the north (i.e., in God's Seat). Our Heavenly Father rebuked Lucifer there using his own words of how he said he will exalt himself as God. That is how Lucifer originally rebelled against God in the time of old, prior to this present world, and prior to Adam and Eve's day. God ended Lucifer's rebellion of old, and then our Heavenly Father brought this present world to offer His Plan of Salvation through His Son Jesus Christ's death on the cross.
For one last time, in order to do much pruning for this world, God is going to allow Lucifer to come to our world and play God, allowing those who do not listen to God and His Son to be deceived. That is what Apostle Paul's "strong delusion" of 2 Thessalonians 2 is about. That day of deception is growing very close today. Being raptured so as to not be subject to the "strong delusion" is not Biblical; it instead is an idea grown by Lucifer's host on earth today in order to prepare the deceived to 'fly away' to Lucifer when he appears on earth (see Matt.24:28 and last verses of Luke 17 as to where the deceived who are "taken" will be gathered).
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