On the Second Coming of Christ: The Antichrist

And the second is like unto it…Some of you may cry foul on this blog stating that it is the same reason as the first blog.  I see it as similar but different.   The last blog was about a general readiness for the end times.  Here we get to greater detail.

Both Jesus and Paul go into great detail describing the antichrist for believers.  Here’s an excerpt from Jesus’ Olivet discourse:

⁴ And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. ⁵ For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. ⁶ You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 

¹⁵ “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), ¹⁶ then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. ¹⁷ Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. ¹⁸ Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. ¹⁹ But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ²⁰ But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. Matthew 24:4-6, 15-20.

Just to answer the preterists (those that hold to some level of preterism) out there:  Yes, I do believe that the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD was a type or partial fulfillment of this prophecy, but I do not believe that it was the fulfillment.  With that out of the way…

I think it is clear that Jesus is talking to believers and addressing those that would read this record to give them (us) a warning of what is to come.  If I have my general outline of the Tribulation correct, the temple abomination occurs on or about the three and a half year mark in the seven year tribulation.  For believers to “see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION” spoken of in Daniel, they would have to be present during the tribulation at least up to the midpoint.

Also, as hinted at in my last post, Paul comforts the believers at Thessalonica that the second coming could not have come yet since the antichrist has not yet appeared.

Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, ² that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. ³ Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. ⁵ Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? ⁶ And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. ⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. ⁸ Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; ⁹ that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, ¹⁰ and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. ¹¹ For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, ¹² in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

It seems wildly counter intuitive that these two passages giving direct warning about the antichrist could be construed in another way.  Why would the antichrist even be mentioned?  It seems as though both Jesus and Paul would have stopped short of the details of the antichrist and would have just said something like, “Don’t worry.  It will start getting bad, but then you’ll be whisked away.”

So there it is again.  Pretty short.  I apologize for the long quotes, but I think they are needed.  Summary question:  “Why would details about the antichrist, some of which are predicted to be in the middle of the tribulation, be given to believers to warn them about the future and comfort them about the present?”