"I believe the Antichrist is alive somewhere in the world at this time." Hal Lindsay. 1970.
"Somewhere at this very moment, on planet earth, the Antichrist is almost certainly alive, biding his time, waiting his cue, being already a mature man he is probably active in politics, perhaps even an admired leader whose name is almost daily on everyones' lips." Dave Hunt. (20th Century)
"There is no doubt that the Antichrist has already been born, firmly established, already in his early years. He will, after reaching maturity, achieve supreme power." Martin of Tours, who died in 397 A.D. (4th Century A.D.)
The "Antichrist" is made much mention of in Evangelical Christian circles over and over, and in books, publications and now movies. What is behind this doctrine that only one single person, ONLY in the future would be "The Antichrist"? and no other? Who could he be? Persons are using large computers now to try and secure an identity!
Can this idea be traced this idea historically? Let us examine the real roots of this doctrine and see what we may find.
THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF ANTICHRIST NAMED AS PERSONS:
JOHN WYCLIFFE
The first appearance recorded of "The Antichrist" named as a single person are in the writings of John Wycliffe. He declared the Roman pope was "The Antichrist". But also, he declared the entire set of previous popes Antichrists. The entire papal system.
The chief voices of the Protestant Reformation also agreed. Luther, Knox, Zwingli, Calvin, Coverdale, Beza along with Tyndale, Brute, de Cusa, Bullinger, Foxe, Napier, Brightman, Mede. Even Sir Isaac Newton and the Pilgrims and Puritans who came to early America agreed. Many, many others in succeeding generations all agreed with this.
For some time there was no other single set of persons designated "Antichrists" EXCEPT the bishops of Rome, and nothing else to was named as the "Beast" except the papal system.
Never before this time had any Christian authority ever specifically named "Antichrists" or an organization by name. After Wycliffe said the papacy was, all the Reformers wholeheartedly agreed and many others soon followed. They all agreed that the papacy was:
The "Little Horn" of Daniel 7, the "Man of Sin" of Thessalonians 2, "The Second Beast" of Revelation 13, and "The Great Whore" of Revelation 17.
All of these Prophecies were preached and applied to the papacy and the Roman church exclusively.
Remember there never was up to this time, any other application mentioned by name except the papacy and Romanism.[1]
THAT THE (1) PAPACY WERE ANTICHRISTS, AND (2) THE ROMAN CHURCH WAS THE BEAST WAS PREACHED FAR AND WIDE
The preaching and teaching of the Reformers had great effect in Northern Europe. Battles were fought, Kings lost their thrones.
What were the results? The common man received the Scriptures in his own tongue, revival flourished, and government, art and culture as well.
As might be expected a plan was devised to counter the teaching of the Reformation. The plan was called The Counter-Reformation.
THE COUNTER-REFORMATION
The papacy was rapidly losing on the battlefields and also its authority with the common people. To counter the two-pronged charge that the papacy were "Antichrists" and Roman Catholic Church was the "Beast", two prongs were also used.[2]
FIRST: THE DRIVE TO RE-EXERT PAPAL AUTHORITY
THE COUNCIL OF TRENT
Because of the widespread rejection of papal authority and the Roman church, the Roman Catholic Church met in 1545 at the COUNCIL OF TRENT. They sat for almost 20 years, and brought forth the doctrines that are still held by the Roman church today. A Papal Bull was signed by Pius VII in 1653 ending it.
SECOND: THE "SWITCH" FROM "MANY" TO "ONE"
In this second problem they worked more carefully, it was easier to deal with IDEAS than the FACTS of papal HISTORY that the Reformers presented and was plain to see. To do this they first established TWO VIEWS of Prophecy, both of which eliminated the papacy from any such identification.
The FIRST interpretation was that the Prophecies were all in the PAST and therefore already fulfilled in the persecutions of the early Church. This idea had been first brought forward by one Alcazar, a Spanish Jesuit Roman priest in about 1614. They argued simply that if the Prophecies were already fulfilled, then the papacy were not "Antichrists" or the "Beast". This became known as the PRETERIST interpretation of Prophecy.
The SECOND and soon to be the most popular interpretation they used was that these Prophecies were all FUTURE and only ONE MAN, not "many". This interpretation was developed by Francisco Ribera, another Jesuit priest from Salmanica, Spain. In about 1640, Ribera taught there would be only one man (not "many" as the New Testament says) and that this one man would rule the world for a literal three and one half years at the very end of time. He taught that this one man would: rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, befriend the Jews, conquer the whole world, all in three and one half years. This man ALONE is to be "The Antichrist" and so therefore not the papacy. This is called the FUTURIST interpretation of Prophecy.
This new Futurist interpretation was soon even more developed by another Romanist: John Bellarmine. He lectured in the later part of the 16th Century, over a period of 20 years.
Bellarmine argued that the Roman church had always considered that the Prophecies were literal "time-days" rather than symbolic. The 1260 days were three and one half years and not 1,260 years as the Reformers taught. The Protestants were divided somewhat and he took advantage of this. Bellarmine cleverly took both sides of the argument saying the Prophecies could be PAST or FUTURE but not PRESENT. Bellarmine also declared that "The Antichrist" was to be AN INDIVIDUAL JEW and not of any "apostate christian system" whatsoever.[3] This further attempted to dispel suspicion away from any Gentile papacy!
SAMUEL R. MAITLAND
In the 1820's, a pro-Romanist movement sprang up within the Anglican Church in England. Samuel R. Maitland, a Romanist, published many works and lectured extensively also proclaiming Riberas' Futurist interpretations.
This was known as the High Oxford Movement. It lasted about 12 years. It was again geared to persude the Protestants into abandoning their "heretical" views of the papacy and rejoin the Roman church. They published 90 of their so-called "Tracts for the Times". One of the chief writers was John Henry Newman; a convert to Romanism who was later made a Cardinal. Cardinal Newman. Newman had derived his thinking from Dr. James H. Todd who was a Professor of Hebrew at the University of Dublin. Newman also claimed openly to be a follower of S. R. Maitland.
Dr. Todd declared the Protestants were completely in error believing the papacy and the Roman church were apostate and were Antichrists and the Beast of Prophecy. He also openly opposed the teachings of the Reformers, adopted the Futurist view of Ribera and declared he was also a follower of S. R. Maitland.
The Futurist interpretation was soon noticed by John Nelson Darby; a leader in the Brethren Movement in Dublin and Plymouth.
JOHN NELSON DARBY
John Nelson Darby quickly adopted the views of S.R. Maitland (the Romanist) as well and drew huge crowds. By 1840, he added an invention all his own called "The Rapture" to his teachings. Surprisingly, no Christian in history had ever heard of such a thing as "The Rapture" before Darby invented it! But the theory drew very large crowds, and people eager not to be "left behind" with the "one man AntiChrist". The Futurist position of the Jesuit Ribera had finally caught on, and even some Protestant leaders in England soon began embracing it to the full.
As attendance soared, and donations of the fearful grew, other ambitious preachers also came over to these doctrines and quicly obtained similar results. Indeed, a long list of preachers, teachers, scholars and evangelists soon saw the mass-appeal and began preaching these attractive doctrinal positions; first in England, then Canada, and then America. There were a vast number of "prophetic conferences" in America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries which packed halls and stadiums with spell-binding Futurist interpretations. One Man! Who could he be?
DISPENSATIONALISM IS BORN
The culmination of these successes and the "one man AntiChrist" was the publication in 1909 of "The Scofield Reference Bible" by C. I. Scofield. The original scheme of Riberas' was of course modified and enhanced in Scofields' Bible adding Darbys' "pre-Tribulation Rapture" and dubbed "Premillenial Dispensationalism".
With Scofields' Bible in hand, by World War I the original teachings of the Reformers had nearly disappeared completely from pulpit and platform, and were replaced by Dispensationalism. How did this happen? What was the appeal?
CONCLUSIONS
The Evangelical world needs to be aware of the forces that have shaped the doctrines it now accepts as "truth" and the reasons these relatively new doctrines have found their way into their midst.
We have tried to bring some historical facts to the fore which were common knowledge to our forefathers but may not be widely known today. Scripture says there will be "many" AntiChrists, not just "one". It took a little over 400 years for the Futurist doctrine to have the degree of "automatic acceptance" it seems to enjoy today.[4]
Today, in a great many Churches and through the media, at nearly every point, the Doctrines of the Reformation still remain a target to refute. Even by seemingly well-meaning people. How should one proceed?
First, Believers should get their Bibles out and honestly take a look at Matthew Chapter 24. Yeshua never mentions any "one man Antichrist" in the entire chapter where He Speaks about His Return.
Scripture says there will be many others that also fulfill this "type". The New Testament says there were "many antichrists" and "already in the world" in the 1st Century.[5]
There will be "many antichrists" as John said, until the end of time.
PEOPLE OF G-D, MESSIANIC
© Copyright 2001 People of G-d, Messianic Ministries, Inc. No reproduction or redistribution without the Prior Written Consent and Approval of People of G-d.
FOOTNOTES
[1
[2
[3
The docrine of "the rapture" has an interesting history. Another Jesuit priest by the name of Emmanuel Lacunza followed Riberas' teachings and added what has become known as "the rapture" to it. He then assumed the name of "Rabbi Ben Ezra" and disguised himself as a "converted Jewish rabbi" to gain the sympathies of unsuspecting Protestants! His book was published in Spanish in 1812, and using this guise, found its way into the library of the Archbishop of Canterbury! Go HEREfor more.
[4
That the three interpretations radically and fundamentally disagree with each other appears to make little or no difference between the groups, as long as an individual is "with the program". If one chooses to disregard all three of them, or question their "secret rapture" however, they may become quickly anathematized. By this means some seek to control and intimidate many of their followers.
[5
I John 2:18 Little children (paidion), it is (esti) the last (eschatos) time (hora): and (kai) as (kathos) ye have heard (akouo) that (hoti) antichrist (antichristos) shall come (erchomai) even (kai) now (nun) are there (ginomai) many (polus) antichrists (antichristoi); whereby (hothen) we know (ginosko) that (hoti) it is (esti) the last (eschatos) time (hora).
The Apostle John is here saying, "Little children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that the antichrist shall come, even now there are many antichrists; whereby we know it is the last hour."
Where did they hear a single man as the antichrist shall come? Did Yeshua mention the word? No. Did Paul? No. John also wrote the Book of Revelation. Is the word "antichrist" found there? No.
What John is saying is:
"Little children,...you have heard that "the Antichrist" (only one man) would come (but I tell you) even now there are (already) more than one ..."
Is The Word of G-d speaking to our own generation.
I John 4:3 And (kai) every (pas) spirit (pneuma) that (hos) confesseth (homologeo) not (me) that Jesus (Iesous) Christ (Christos) is come (erchomai) in (en) the flesh (sarx) is (esti) not (ou) of (ek) God (theos): and (kai) this (touto) is (esti) antichrist (antichristos), whereof (hos) ye have heard (akouo) that (hoti) it should come (erchomai) and even (kai) now (nun) already (ede) is it (esti) in (en) the world (kosmos).
John repeats here saying "you have heard" that the "antichrist" spirit is already in the world, and they need not wait, for IT (not he) is already present.
II John 1:7 For (hoti) many (polus) deceivers (planos) are entered (eiserchomai) into (eis) the world (kosmos), who (ho) confess (homologeo) not (me) that Jesus (Iesous) Christ (Christos) is come (erchomai) in (en) the flesh (sarx). This (houtos) is (esti) a deceiver (planos) and (kai) an antichrist (antichristos).
John refers to "deceivers" in the plural to each one being "antichrists". Again, "many" not just "one".
Here is more on the subject: AntiChrist: "one man"? or many?
Andrews, Samuel J. Christianity and Anti-Christianity. Chicago. The Bible Institute Colportage Association. 1898.
English, E. Schuyler. Rethinking the Rapture. Neptune, New Jersey. Loizeaux Brothers. 1954.
Fraser, Alexander. The Return of Christ in Glory. Scottsdale, Pennsylvania. The Evanglical Fellowship. 1957.
Katterjohn, Arthur. The Tribulation People. Carol Stream, Illinois. Creation House. 1976.
Ladd, George E. The Blessed Hope. Grand Rapids. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 1956.
Lindsey, Hal. The Late Great Planet Earth. Grand Rapids. Zondervan Publishing House. 1970.
MacArthy, James G. Catholicism: Crisis of Faith. (Video). Coopertino, California. Lumen Productions. 1991.
MacPherson, Dave. The Great Rapture Hoax. Fletcher, North Carolina. New Puritan Press. 1983.
MacPherson, Dave. The Incredible Cover-Up. Plainfield, New Jersey. Logos International. 1976.
Pitt, Jan. Persecution: It Will Never Happen Here?. Orange, California. Open Doors with Brother Andrew. 1981.
Reese, Alexander. The Approaching Advent of Christ. London. Marshall, Morgan and Scott LTD.
Rusk, Roger. the other end of the world. Plano, Texas. Le Book Company. 1988.
Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. Dispensationalism Today. Chicago. Moody Press. 1978.
Tombler, John W. and Funk, Hubert J. The Raptured East. Orange, New Jersey. Trumpet Press, Inc. 1977.
Walvoord, John F. The Return of the Lord. Grand Rapids. Zondervan Publishing House. 1971.
