The figure commonly known as the “antichrist” has provoked much speculation and also much fear through the years, with many people both jokingly and seriously identifying certain individuals to be this figure for various reasons through the years. Interestingly enough, the passages in the Bible that describe such a figure in most detail do not use this title for him, as the Apostle Paul talked about the “Man of Lawlessness” in 2 Thessalonians 2 and the Book of Revelation speaks about a “beast” who arises from the sea (Revelation 13; also see 16:13; 19:20; 20:10). Jesus spoke of “false Christs” (Matthew 24:14; Mark 13:22) that would arise, thus labeling figures as “pseudo-christs” rather than “antichrists.” The only place in Scripture that uses the term antichrist is 1 John, which offers a little more insight into the figure and actually speaks about an antichrist to come but also that “even now many antichrists have come” (1 John 2:18) and that the “spirit of the antichrist….is already in the world” (1 John 4:3).
In light of the amount of attention given to the figure and the misidentifications and misperceptions I have heard concerning him, I wanted to highlight three key truths taught about this figure that I believe should counter fears people have and cut down on speculation that goes beyond what the Bible intends to tell us.
