As we have seen in the sections on the New World Order, the final Beast of Revelation will arise in the form of a powerful alliance of nations.  Today, it is represented by a group of allies that have as their goal the setting up of a global system run by the most wealthy and powerful financial and political leaders, which will eventually control the entire world with the Antichrist at its helm.  This is the empire described by the feet of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream as well as the dreadful and terrible beast of Daniel’s dream and the beast having seven heads and ten horns of John’s vision in Revelation 13.  At this point in history, however, it lacks unity, it lacks cohesiveness, and it lacks a powerful leader able to fully unite the individual countries into one vast empire.

The leader of the final world empire was seen by both the prophet Daniel and the Apostle John as arising out of the empire.  Daniel saw him as the “little horn” (Dan. 7:8) coming after the 10 horns had arisen and John saw him as another beast coming out of the earth (Rev. 13:11) after the first Empire-Beast had arisen out of the sea.  Both of these prophecies warn of the rise of a powerful dictator that will rule the final world empire at the end.  We have come to know him as the Antichrist.

However, that name also refers to much more than the final world leader.  The Apostle John said this concerning the term antichrist:

“Little children, it is the last time; and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists, by which we know that it is the last time.”

1 John 2:18

The name commonly applied to the leader of the final world empire actually has evolved from a more generic meaning.  Originally, it did not refer to any one particular individual, but was a word used simply to indicate a spirit which was against Christ.  John said that even in his day society was full of people who hated the Lord and openly opposed or persecuted Christians.  Everywhere Christ was preached there were always some individuals who became blatant antichrists and opposers of the Gospel.  Even the Apostle Paul was such an antichrist before he was converted on the road to Damascus.  In the strictest of terms, therefore, anyone who rejected Jesus was considered a type of antichrist.  John also said,

“He is antichrist, that denieth the Father, and the Son”

1 John 2:22

Ironically, the very man we have come to call the Antichrist is never really referred to by this name in the prophecies related to him.  Although he certainly will become the embodiment of all that “antichrist” could ever mean and John even seemed to call him by this name in 1 John 2:18, the Bible uses a number of other explicit terms to describe him.  Paul calls him the “man of sin”, the “son of perdition”, and the “wicked one” (2 Thess. 2:3; 2 Thess. 2:8).  The Apostle John refers to him as the second “beast” and the “false prophet” (Rev. 13:11; Rev. 19:20).  Daniel sees the Antichrist as the “little horn” arising from among the ten horns of the last world empire as well as the “king of fierce countenance” (Dan. 7:8; Dan. 8:23).

In the last days, the man we call the Antichrist will be the sole ruler of the final world order.  He will be an unchecked evil which will be allowed to continue and permeate throughout every level of society.  For we who now live in this pivotal generation, his coming will be the ultimate turning point for the Western Alliance and for the entire world…[read full article]