1 João 2
Tony Garland · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 João 2:1-6
Garland adds - Their faith is evident by their works—keeping God’s commandments (Luke 6:46+; Jas 2:18+). During this time, the woman who flees to the wilderness has offspring which “keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 12:17+). Here, the phrase denotes those who are not just of Israel (her offspring), but also Gentile believers: all the saints of the end. A T
1 João 2:1-6
Garland: The phrase (who keep the commandments) is further restricted to the offspring who keep the commandments of God. This indicates that during the final half week unbelieving Jews are not the primary object of the dragon’s warfare—for they, like unbelieving Gentiles, will take his mark and give him due worship (Rev. 13:15-18 cf. John 5:43). It is believing Jews elsewhere around the world that are now his target. () Comment: Note the descriptive definition of a believer by John - those "who keep the commandments of God." He is not saying they keep them perfectly, for only one Man accomplished that feat! The verb keep (tereo) is a present participle indicating that the general "direction" of these individuals is toward obedience, so that keeping God's commandments is their lifestyle, their habitual practice. As I like to teach my young disciples, the authentic Christian life is about "direction" not "perfection" (until we are glorified of course!) The sad fact is that there are prominent names in evangelicalism today who teach one is saved by faith alone (which is 100% true) but that the new life in Christ and the new possession of the indwelling Holy Spirit does not necessarily influence one's behavior! In other words (they teach) one can go on sinning as their habitual practice and still claim to be a saint (holy, set apart) in the eyes of the Holy God! This is 100% false! And many of these individuals have doctorates of theology. We do well to remember that none of the apostles had doctorates and yet they were theologically accurate, because they had been with Jesus. For example, Zane Hodges even goes so far as to state that the list of sins in 1Co 6:9-10+ and Gal 5:19-21+ actually describe true believers, and that they will just forfeit their reward because of their sin (See "Those Who Do Not Inherit the Kingdom" See also here or here). Hodges even makes the incredible assertion that Paul was describing believers in Titus 1:16+ (See refutation)! "They (present tense - continually) profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed." Do you think that sounds like a description of a genuine born again individual? Great caution is advised when reading anything written by Zane Hodges. Sadly Hodges has authored the commentary sections of Hebrews, and 1-3 John in the otherwise excellent Bible Knowledge Commentary (BKC). Caveat emptor! I am thankful that in the BKC, Ronald Blue writing on James, sounds the clear warning that "Merely claiming to have faith is not enough. Genuine faith is evidenced by works....Workless faith is worthless faith." (See Bible Knowledge Commentary - Page 825) John Piper's Comments are pertinent - I have referred several times to a contemporary movement of evangelicalism that offers assurance of salvation to professing Christians who go on living in sin. Who am I talking about? Here is an example. Zane Hodges, who teaches at Dallas Seminary, has written a book entitled "The Gospel Under Siege" (Redencion Viva, 1981) (ED: See a critique of this book. See also J V Miller's review of Hodgles' book). His position is the very opposite of mine: (Ed: Hodges writes) “An insistence on the necessity or inevitability of works fundamentally undermines assurance” (p.13). That is, “if good works are really . . . an essential fruit of salvation,” we cannot be sure of our eternal salvation (p. 9). Therefore, “works have nothing to do with determining a Christian's basic relationship to God.” “There is not even a single place in the Pauline letters where he expresses doubt that his audience is composed of true Christians.” (p. 95)." Apart from the fact that 2 Corinthians 13:5-note contradicts his last statement, 1 John remains an insuperable obstacle. His interpretation will not stand. Consider for yourselves what he says concerning 1 John 3:14+ (“We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brothers.”). Here assurance of passing out of death into life is the product of loving our fellow Christians. How will he escape it? He tries to escape it by saying that the verse has “no reference to conversion as such.” He says that there is a sphere of light and a sphere of darkness within the Christian life. “If anyone does not love his brother he is out of touch with God. He is not living as a true disciple of his Master” (p. 63). But he is still a child of God because eternal security has nothing to do with whether you are a loving person or not." This will not stand scrutiny. The one other place where John uses the same Greek phrase (“We have passed from death to life”) is John 5:24, where he says, “Truly, truly I say to you that the one who hears my word and believes the one who sent me has eternal life and does not come into judgment but has passed from death into life.” Therefore it is grasping at a straw to say that “passing from death to life” in 1 John 3:14+ refers to two states within Christian life. It plainly means: passing from lostness to eternal life. I appeal to you, judge for yourselves, does John's assurance in 1 John 3:14+ come from loving the brothers or not? Bowing before the Word with you, Pastor John (Who Am I Talking About- - Desiring God) Basis of Assurance - Rests on the Word of God (John 1:12), the witness of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:16), keeping God’s Word (1 John 2:5), walking like Christ (1 John 2:6), not loving the world (1 John 2:15), purification (1 John 3:3), love for the brethren (1 John 3:14), true love (1 John 3:18-19), answered prayer (1 John 3:22), overcoming the world (1 John 5:4). - Source unknown ASSURANCE - Westminster Confession of Faith (1648) This infallible assurance doth not so belong to the essence of faith, but that a true believer may wait long, and conflict with many difficulties before he be partaker of it: yet, being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given him of God, he may, without extraordinary revelation, in the right use of ordinary means, attain thereunto. And therefore it is the duty of everyone to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure, that thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience, the proper fruits of this assurance; so far is it from inclining men to looseness. (Chapter XVIII, Article III) HOLY FEAR - Ralph Wardlaw describes the holy fear every follower of Christ should cultivate, a fear that motivates a Spirit enabled "keeping of the commandments". First note that Wardlaw is commenting on Pr 28:14 which says... How blessed is the man who fears always, But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity. Wardlaw then offers us these timeless comments "THERE are, in Scripture, two kinds of fear. In this verse, fear is associated with happiness:—elsewhere we find it associated with torment.* Such passages are in perfect harmony. The more, indeed, there is of the “love” that “casteth out fear”—the fear that “hath torment,” the more there will be of the fear in the verse before us. The fear of a child, and the fear of a slave, are two very different principles. The former is the product of love, and is ever proportionate to love. It is affectionate fear. We fear to displease one whose love is the spring to us of our purest and sweetest enjoyment. The child loves his father, and delights in his father’s love to him. He cannot bear his frown. The very thought of his displeasure brings the tear to his eye.—This is the kind of fear which the child of God feels and cherishes toward his heavenly Father. He loves Him, he venerates Him. He finds his happiness in His smile. He dreads to offend Him. His frown is the death of his joy. This is the fear of God which His word inculcates—the religious principle. It is here contrasted with “hardening the heart.” It is therefore the gracious fear of a subdued and softened spirit,—the fear of love,—reverence for God,—fear of even His fatherly rebukes and corrections. It is self-distrust. It is tenderness of conscience. It is vigilance against temptation. It is the fear which inspiration opposes to high-mindedness, in the admonition—“Be not high-minded, but fear.” It is “taking heed lest we fall.” It is a constant apprehension of the deceitfulness of the heart, and of the insidiousness and power of inward corruption. It is the caution and circumspection that timidly shrinks from whatever would offend and dishonor God and the Saviour. And these the child of God will feel and exercise the more, the more he rises above the enfeebling, disheartening, distressing influence of the “fear which hath torment.” To “harden the heart,” is to put away the fear of God; to be self-confident and presumptuous—unawed by threatenings—unsoftened by entreaties;—neither breaking under the one nor melting under the other. Of the man who thus “hardens” himself, final and irretrievable “mischief” must be the inevitable portion. On the contrary—“Happy is the man that feareth alway.” Wherein consists his happiness? This fear keeps him from sin; produces simplicity of dependence upon God; imparts the stability of peace,—“a peace that passeth all understanding;” maintains consistency of conduct; and thus gives growing evidence of grace in the heart and of the hope being well-founded—a hope that “maketh not ashamed,”—of “glory and honour and immortality.” (Lectures on the Book of Proverbs) Three Groups - Regarding salvation and assurance, there are three groups of people: 1. those who are secure but not sure; 2. those who are “sure” but not secure; and 3. those who are secure and sure. Category one are conscientious believers in Christ who are saved but lack assurance. In category two are professing Christians who say, “Even though I’m living in sin, I’ll make it. After all, ‘once saved, always saved!’“ The third group are born-again believers who enjoy a warm, secure relationship with Christ each day. The objective basis of our salvation is the finished work of God’s Son on the cross. The subjective basis for our assurance is our believing the truth about Christ (I John 2:2, 4; 2:15; 5:1), loving the brethren (I John 3:14, 18, 19, 4:7-8), and obeying Christ’s commandments (I John 2:3-5). - Source unknown QUESTION - How can I have assurance of my salvation? | GotQuestions.org WATCH VIDEO ANSWER - The assurance of salvation is, simply put, knowing for sure that you are saved. Many Christians throughout history have written about their struggles in being assured of their salvation. The problem is that many followers of Jesus Christ look for the assurance of salvation in the wrong places. We tend to seek assurance of salvation in the things God is doing in our lives, in our spiritual growth, in the good works and obedience to God’s Word that is evident in our Christian walk. While these things can be evidence of salvation, they are not what we should base the assurance of our salvation on. Rather, we should find the assurance of our salvation in the objective truth of God’s Word. We should have confident trust that we are saved based on the promises God has declared, not because of our subjective experiences. How can you have assurance of salvation? Consider 1 John 5:11–13: “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (emphasis added). Who is it that has the Son? It is those who have believed in Him (John 1:12). If you have Jesus, you have life. Not temporary life, but eternal. And, according to 1 John 5:13, you can know that you have this eternal life. God wants us to have assurance of our salvation. We should not live our Christian lives wondering and worrying each day whether we are truly saved. That is why the Bible makes the plan of salvation so clear. Believe in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Acts 16:31). Do you believe that Jesus died to pay the penalty for your sins and rose again from the dead (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21)? Do you trust Him alone for salvation? If your answer to these questions is “yes,” you are saved! Assurance means freedom from doubt. By taking God’s Word to heart, you can have no doubt about the reality of your eternal salvation. Jesus Himself assures those who believe in Him: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:28–29). Eternal life is just that—eternal. There is no one, not even yourself, who can take Christ’s God-given gift of salvation away from you. Take joy in what God’s Word is saying to you: instead of doubting, we can live with confidence! We can have the assurance from Christ’s own Word that our salvation will never be in question. Our assurance of salvation is based on the perfect and complete salvation God has provided for us through Jesus Christ. Are you trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior? If the answer is “yes,” rest assured, you are saved. QUESTION - Eternal security - is it biblical? | GotQuestions.org WATCH VIDEO ANSWER - When people come to know Christ as their Savior, they are brought into a relationship with God that guarantees their eternal security. Jude 24 declares, "To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy." God’s power is able to keep the believer from falling. It is up to Him, not us, to present us before His glorious presence. Our eternal security is a result of God keeping us, not us maintaining our own salvation. The Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand" (John 10:28-29b). Both Jesus and the Father have us firmly grasped in their hand. Who could possibly separate us from the grip of both the Father and the Son? Ephesians 4:30 tells us that believers are "sealed for the day of redemption." If believers did not have eternal security, the sealing could not truly be unto the day of redemption, but only to the day of sinning, apostasy, or disbelief. John 3:15-16 tells us that whoever believes in Jesus Christ will "have eternal life." If a person were to be promised eternal life, but then have it taken away, it was never "eternal" to begin with. If eternal security is not true, the promises of eternal life in the Bible would be in error. The most powerful argument for eternal security is Romans 8:38-39, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Our eternal security is based on God’s love for those whom He has redeemed. Our eternal security is purchased by Christ, promised by the Father, and sealed by the Holy Spirit. Related Resources: What are some Bible verses about assurance? | GotQuestions.org How can I know if I am saved? If you doubt your salvation, does that mean you are not truly saved? What if I don’t feel saved? Can a person believe in some sense but not be saved? Does it matter if I can’t remember precisely when I was saved? Eternal security - is it biblical? | GotQuestions.org Is eternal security a “license” to sin? | GotQuestions.org Did Old Testament believers have eternal security? | GotQuestions.org Perseverance of the Saints - is it biblical? | GotQuestions.org Once saved always saved? Can a Christian lose salvation? Is eternal security a "license" to sin? What is the relationship of faith, works, and security in salvation? ILLUSTRATION - REALLY SURE! Steven Cole gives a great illustration which emphasizes the importance of John's instruction on how to be REALLY SURE you are going to heaven... Years ago, when I was candidating at my first church, we were staying in a house in a remote area of the Southern California mountains while the owners were away. We were having dinner at another home when we received a call infeeorming us that an escaped convict had ditched his stolen car in the driveway of the house where we were staying and had set out on foot through the property. We decided to spend the night at the home where we had dinner. The next morning, I called the sheriff to explain our situation and to ask if it was safe to take my pregnant wife back to the house. He assured me that it was perfectly safe. I said, “Fine, but I would like a sheriff to escort us into the house and to check some hiding places on the property, just to make sure.” When we arrived at the property, there were three or four cars of officers wearing their bulletproof vests, loading their shotguns! We later learned that the convict had made his way to another road, hitchhiked, and killed the driver who picked him up. The sheriff was sure that it was safe for us to go back to that house unarmed, but he wasn’t REALLY SURE! When the safety of his men was on the line, he wanted to be REALLY SURE! There are some things in life that you want to be REALLY SURE about, because so much rides on the outcome. Your salvation is such an issue. You don’t want to take risks about your eternal destiny. Since the Bible warns that many are deceived about this crucial matter (e.g., Mt 7:21, 22, 23), you especially need to know that you know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. (1 John 2:3-6 How to Know That You Know Him) Results Of Backsliding Genesis 13:1-4 - Theodore Epp Even though Abraham returned to fellowship with God, irreparable damage had been done. When a believer backslides, he does things he will never be able to undo. Abraham's testimony had been weakened, and damage beyond repair had been done to worldly Lot, Abraham's nephew. Lot had gone with Abraham to Egypt. The backslider never backslides alone; he always takes others with him. Even though Abraham had backslidden and had brought about much damage, Genesis 13:3,4 tells us that he went back "to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord." God has made provision for every backslider. Just as Abraham returned to fellowship with the Lord, you, too, can come back into fellowship with Him if you have backslidden. 1 John 2:1 says, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." In the first chapter of 1 John, every believer is assured: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1Jn 1:9). Do not stay in the miserable place of disobedience. Come back to God and confess your sin. "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" -- Proverbs 14:12 JOHN PIPER SUMMARIZES JOHN'S EVIDENCE OF THE NEW BIRTH I think God wants the totality of this book to have its impact on us. It is dominated by the concern to give “tests of life” or effects and evidences of the new birth. He gives at least eleven evidences that we are born again. We could probably boil them all down to faith and love. But for now let’s let them stand the way he says them. Here they are: 1. Those who are born of God keep his commandments. 1 John 2:3-4-note: “By this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 1 John 3:24-note: “Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him.” 2. Those who are born of God walk as Christ walked. 1 John 2:5-6-note: “By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” 3. Those who are born of God don’t hate others but love them. 1 John 2:9-note: “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.” 1 John 3:14-note: “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.” 1 John 4:7-8-note: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:20-note: “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar.” 4. Those who are born of God don’t love the world. 1 John 2:15-note: “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 5. Those who are born of God confess the Son and receive (have) him. 1 John 2:23-note: “No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.” 1 John 4:15-note: “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” 1 John 5:12-note: “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 6. Those who are born of God practice righteousness. 1 John 2:29-note: “If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.” 7. Those who are born of God don’t make a practice of sinning. 1 John 3:6-note: “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.” 1 John 3:9-10-note: “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.” 1 John 5:18-note: “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.” 8. Those who are born of God possess the Spirit of God. 1 John 3:24-note: “By this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.” 1 John 4:13-note: “By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.” 9. Those who are born of God listen submissively to the apostolic Word. 1 John 4:6-note: “We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” 10. Those who are born of God believe that Jesus is the Christ. 1 John 5:1-note: “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.” 11. Those who are born of God overcome the world. 1 John 5:4-note: “Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” Two Wrong Conclusions - One of the effects of all those “tests of life” is to overwhelm us with the sense that John may be saying: “If you’re born again, you’re perfect. If you’re born again you don’t sin at all. There is no defeat in the Christian life. There is only victory.” Another effect that these tests might have in our minds is to make us think we can loose our salvation. That is, we can be born again for a while and then begin to fail in these tests and die and lose the spiritual life that we were given in the new birth. Two Key Clarifications - John is very aware that his words could be taken in these two wrong ways. So he is explicit as any writer in the New Testament that this is not the case: Christians are not sinless, and born-again people cannot lose their spiritual life and be lost. He says in 1 John 1:8-10-note, “If we say we have no sin [present tense], we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins [present tense], he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” So John is at pains to say that “walking in the light” (1Jn 1:7-note) does not mean walking flawlessly. It means that, when you stumble, the light of Christ causes you to see it and hate it and confess it and move forward with Christ. And John is just as jealous to make sure we don’t infer from these “tests of life” that we can be born again and then later lose our life and be lost. 1John 2:19-note is one of the clearest statements in the Bible that there is another way to understand what happens when a person abandons the church. It says, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.” Notice three things John says to protect us from misunderstanding. 1) Those who seemed to be born again and forsook the faith never were born again—they never were of us. “They went out from us, but they were not of us.” In other words, the explanation is not that they lost their new birth. They never had it. 2) Those who are truly born again (“of us”) will persevere to the end in faith. 1Jn 5:19b-note: “For if they had been of us, they would have continued with us.” Endurance is not the cause of the new birth. The new birth is the cause of endurance, and endurance is the evidence of new birth. 3) God often makes plain who the false Christians are in the church by their eventual rejection of the truth and the people of God. Verse 19c: “But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.” It became plain. And it often becomes plain today. (Everyone Who Has Been Born of God Overcomes the World) Bob
1 João 2:18-23
Garland writes… Elsewhere, we discuss reasons why Nero cannot be the Beast of Revelation. Here, we consider the real Beast of Revelation—a future figure who has yet to appear. A person who will far surpass anything Nero exhibited in the way of Christian persecution and worldwide influence. Man of Many Names - The title “Beast” is used of the evil individual who figures large in various passages of the book of Revelation (Rev. 11:7; 13:1-4, 11-12, 14-15, 17-18; 14:9, 11; 15:2; 16:2, 10, 13; 17:3, 7-8, 11-13, 16-17; 19:19-20; 20:4, 10). This title reflects his vicious character and appears to form an intentional contrast against that of Christ as the “Lamb” (Rev. 5:6, 8, 12-13; 6:1, 16; 7:9-10, 14, 17; 12:11; 13:8, 11; 14:1, 4, 10; 15:3; 17:14; 19:7, 9; 21:9, 14, 22-23, 27; 22:1, 3). As parallels between the book of Revelation and Daniel make plain, this individual is also connected with the final beastly kingdom described in Daniel (Dan. 7:4-11, 19-20 cf. Rev. 13:2). A systematic study across Scripture reveals many names which are applied to this individual. Among the more obvious epithets are: little horn (Dan. 7:8), insolent king (Dan. 8:23), prince who is to come (Dan. 9:26-note), one who makes desolate (Dan. 9:27-note), despicable person (Dan. 11:21), strong-willed king (Dan. 11:36), worthless shepherd (Zec. 11:16-17), man of lawlessness, and the son of destruction (2Th. 2:3); the lawless one (2Th. 2:8), the beast (Rev. 11:7; 13:1; 14:9; 15:2; 16:2; 17:3; 13; 19:20; 20:10).1 (NOTE: All footnotes are at end of this entry) Other Names of the Antichrist - The Seed of Satan (Gen. 3:15+); The Little Horn (Dan. 7:8+); The King of Fierce Countenance (Dan. 8:23+); The Prince That Shall Come (Dan. 9:26+); The Desolator (Dan. 9:27+); The Willful King (Dan. 11:36+); The Man of Sin (2Th. 2:3+); The Son of Perdition (2Th. 2:3+); The Lawless One (2Th. 2:8+); The Antichrist (1Jn. 2:22+); The Beast (Rev. 11:7+).2 Among all these titles, his most commonly known title is “the Antichrist.” Although this title appears in only one passage (1Jn. 2:22), it is an apt description of his character and ministry. The vast majority of prophetic scholars have used a single name for this future world dictator: the Antichrist. Although this may not be his most common name in Scripture, it is a well-chosen title. It is a title that describes his true intent, which is to be against Messiah. All the other names essentially portray the various characteristics which he will use in his opposition to Messiah.3 Since that is his most widely-used name, we will refer to the Beast as the Antichrist throughout this discussion. A Pre-Christian Concept - Some have thought the Antichrist to be a Christian invention, but it predates Christianity. This is to be expected since the Old Testament reveals considerable detail concerning this individual. David Flusser… an expert on Second Temple Judaism and the origins of Christianity, … categorically states: “The idea of Antichrist is strictly Jewish and pre-Christian.” This is evident from the expression itself, for just as the Greek word Christos (Christ) is the translation of the Hebrew word Mashiach (Messiah), so “Antichrist” is in fact “Anti-Messiah.”4 Among the Dead Sea Scrolls is found the description of an individual who sounds like the promised Messiah, but is said to be an opponent of Israel. This is the role of Anti-Messiah. In a fragmentary pseudo-Daniel text from Qumran Cave 4, the description of an evil end-time king who oppresses Israel includes the words: “[ ]he shall be great on earth … [all] will worship and all will serve [him] … great … he shall be called and by His name he shall be designated. He shall be named son of God and they shall call him son of the Most High.” (4Q246 1:8-10) This might appear to be a reference to the Messiah rather than the Antimessiah if it were not describing an opponent of Israel.5 Among the legends of Judaism, he is known as Armilus (also Armilius): Armilus: legendary name of the Messiah’s antagonist or anti-Messiah. Armilus appears frequently in the later Apocalyptic Midrashim, such as Midrash Va-Yosha, Sefer Zerubbavel, and Nistarot shel R. Shimon b. Yohai. He is also mentioned in the Targum pseudo-Jonathan, Isa. 11:14 and in the Targum Yerushalmi A (Deu. 34:3). Armilus is first mentioned otherwise in Saadiah Gaon’s Emunot ve-De’ot (Ma’amar 8), apparently under the influence of Sefer Zerubbavel.6 Armilus is first mentioned in the Targum pseudo-Jonathan: “The earliest reference to Armilus dates from the seventh century. It is found in the Targum to Isaiah 11:4 … which it renders, ‘And with speech of his lips he shall slay the wicked Armilus.’ ”7 Notice how similar this passage is to Paul’s comments in 2Th. 2:8. One reference to Armilus even calls him “Antichrist.”8 Although there are many aspects of the Armilus legend which are unbiblical and fanciful, other aspects of the legend reflect Scriptural truths such as his claim to worship (Dan. 11:36). “He will say to them: ‘I am your god, I am your Messiah and your god!’ … (T’fillat R. Shim’on ben Yohai, BhM 4:124-26).”9 In contrast to the claims of the preterists, Judaism understands this coming figure as ruling the entire world, not just first-century Rome. “the whole earth, … will tell him that he is the Messiah, … and the whole earth will submit to him, and he will slay those who do not submit… (Ma’ase Daniel, pp. 222-25).”10 He was also expected to banish Israel into the wilderness (Rev. 12:6-15). Works such as Sefer Zerubbavel and those by Saadiah Gaon reveal … Armilus will deceive the whole world into believing that he is God and will reign over the whole world… Armilus is expected to persecute and banish Israel to the wilderness and it will be a time of unprecedented distress for Israel … and the Gentiles will expel the Jews from their lands.11 Whereas some expect the Antichrist to arise from Dan (see below), others suggest Armilus will arise from Ephraim: 12 Interestingly, both of these tribes are omitted in the list of tribes which are sealed for protection during the Tribulation (Rev. 7:4-8). See Commentary on Revelation 7:4. Jewish or Gentile? - Some have held that the Antichrist will be Jewish in origin. Among the reasons cited for this view are: 1 His acceptance by Israel is thought to imply a Jewish connection (Dan. 9:27; John 5:43). 2 His role as a “false” Messiah (pseudo-Christ). 3 The omission of the tribe of Dan from the 144,000 of Revelation 7 is inferred as a hint as to his possible origin.13 4 He may be key in initiating the rebuilding of the Tribulation Temple and interpreted as the Messiah who fulfills Zechariah 6:12. 5 The KJV translation refers to “the God of his fathers” [emphasis added] (Dan. 11:37) which is thought to be a reference to the true God of the Jews. There are numerous problems with the reasons given: First, they are all inferences and not direct statements by Scripture; Second, the reference by the KJV to “the God (singular) of his fathers” is a translation of the Hebrew word elohim which is plural. Depending upon the context, it can be rendered as either “gods” or as “God” (a plural of majesty, possibly hinting at the Trinity). Many other translations (e.g., ASV, NASB, KJ2000, NIV) render it as “gods” in Daniel 11:37 so it is not sound to place undue emphasis upon this detail of the text. Price gives additional reasons against supposing a Jewish origin. Does the person who rebuilds the Temple have to be considered the Messiah? Note that neither the Jewish governor Zerubbabel nor the Judean king Herod—both of whom rebuilt the Second Temple—were thought by the Jewish people to be the Messiah… the Gentile Persian emperor Cyrus… made possible the rebuilding of the Second Temple through his edict… It is an outsider who has to sign a legal document [Dan. 9:27] with the Jewish people, not one of their own… since the object of Satan’s attacks during the Tribulation are all ethnic Jews (Rev. 12:13), it would seem unlikely that the one Satan empowers would also be Jewish (Rev. 13:2)… it would be contrary to the prophetic sequence of Daniel to have a Jewish kingdom (Dan. 2:32-45; Rom. 11:25)… to say that the Antichrist is to be a Jew would contradict the very nature of the times of the Gentiles… two different beasts are described as arising from the ‘sea’ and the ‘earth.’ The ‘sea’ is a literary image that often indicates the ‘Gentile nations’ (Dan. 7:2-3). This would mean that its opposite term here, ‘earth,’ would refer to ‘the Jews.’ There is support for this in that the Greek word can be used as a technical expression for ‘the land of Israel.’ If this is so, then the first beast, which is from the sea, the Antichrist, is Gentile. And the second beast, the false prophet, is Jewish… While Zec. 6:12 indicates that the Messiah (‘the Branch’) will build the Temple, Zechariah is referring to the Millennial Temple. This allows for the Third (Tribulation) Temple to be built by someone else… the text of Rev. 11:2 that identifies the Antichrist with the Temple in its desecration does so in terms of Gentile occupation of the site.14 But the main reason to oppose this notion is found in a direct deduction from an explicit statement of Scripture which supports his Gentile origin (Dan. 9:27 coupled with the facts of the Roman overthrow of Jerusalem in A.D. 70). That the Antichrist is to be a Gentile is seen first by looking at biblical typology. The only biblical type of the Antichrist is given in the person of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a Gentile… Another argument for the Gentile nature of the Antichrist is found in biblical imagery. Whenever the word sea is used symbolically in the Scriptures, especially in the book of Revelation, it is a symbol of the Gentile nations. Since the Beast of Revelation 13:1-10 rises out of the sea, and since the sea represents the Gentile nations (Rev. 17:15), this points to the Antichrist as being of Gentile origin… It is agreed by most Premillennialists that the Times of the Gentiles does not end until the Second Coming of Messiah. It is further agreed that the Antichrist is the final ruler of the Times of the Gentiles … if this is so, how then can a Jew be the last ruler when only the Gentiles can have the pre-eminence? … not only does the Bible reveal the fact that the Antichrist is to be a Gentile, it also reveals the very nationality of the Antichrist. The nationality of the Antichrist can be deduced from Daniel 9:26-27-note… The obvious conclusion, then, is that the Antichrist is a Gentile of Roman origin. [emphasis added]15 Highly Intelligent - A notable characteristic of the Beast will be his great intelligence. Daniel describes him as a horn (kingly power) which had “eyes like the eyes of a man” (Dan. 7:8, 20). Eyes are often mentioned in connection with intelligence (Eze. 1:18; 10:12; Rev. 1:14; 2:18; 5:6). Being empowered by Satan (2Th. 2:9; Rev. 13:4), he may be the most intelligent man, with the exception of Jesus, ever to have walked the planet. Scripture records, “Through his cunning He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule” (Dan. 8:24). These are characteristics common to many of the ruthless personalities who have squandered the lives of millions upon the stage of history, but in the beast we find the ultimate effort that Satan can put forth in the way of cunning.16 Master Imitator - In keeping with his title of “Antichrist,” he will be an imitator of Christ (e.g., the object of worship, worldwide dominion, a throne). This tendency to imitate must be seen as an indicator of his Satanic empowerment (Dan. 8:24; 2Th. 2:9; Rev. 13:2). Pink masterfully contrasts Christ and Satan providing an indication of the extent of the devil’s tendency toward imitation. Do we read of Christ going forth to sow the ‘good seed’ (Mat. 13:24), then we also read of the enemy going forth to sow his ‘tares’ - an imitation wheat (Mat. 13:25). Do we read of ‘the children of God,’ then we also read of ‘the children of the wicked one’ (Mat. 13:38). Do we read of God working in His children ‘both to will and to do of His good pleasure’ (Php. 2:13), then we are also told that the Prince of the power of the air is ‘the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience’ (Eph. 2:2). Do we read of the Gospel of God, then we also read that Satan has a gospel - ‘Another gospel, which is not another’ (Gal. 1:6, 7). Did Christ appoint ‘apostles,’ then Satan has his apostles too (2Cor. 11:13). Are we told that ‘the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God’ (1Cor. 2:10), then Satan also provides his ‘deep things’ (see Greek of Rev. 2:24). Are we told that God, by His angel, will ‘seal’ His servants in their foreheads (Rev. 7:3), so also we read that Satan, by his angels, will set a mark in the foreheads of his devotees (Rev. 13:16). Does the Father seek ‘worshippers’ (John 4:23), so also does Satan (Rev. 13:4). Did Christ quote scripture, so also did Satan (Mat. 4:6). Is Christ the Light of the world, then Satan also is transformed as an ‘angel of light’ (2Cor. 11:14). Is Christ denominated ‘the Lion of the tribe of Judah’ (Rev. 5:5), then the Devil is also referred to as ‘a roaring lion’ (1Pe. 5:6). Do we read of Christ and ‘His angels’ (Mat. 24:31), then we also read of the Devil and ‘his angels’ (Mat. 25:41). Did Christ work miracles, so also will Satan (2Th. 2:9). Is Christ seated upon a ‘Throne,’ so also will Satan be (Rev. 2:13, Gk.). Has Christ a Church, then Satan has his ‘synagogue’ (Rev. 2:9). Has Christ a ‘bride,’ then Satan has his ‘whore’ (Rev. 17:16). Has God His ‘Vine,’ so has Satan (Rev. 14:19). Does God have a city, the new Jerusalem, then Satan has a city, Babylon (Rev. 17:5; 18:2). Is there a ‘mystery of godliness’ (1Ti. 3:16), so also there is a ‘mystery of iniquity’ (2Th. 2:7). Does God have an only-begotten Son, so we read of ‘the Son of Perdition’ (2Th. 2:3). Is Christ called ‘the Seed of the woman,’ then the Antichrist will be ‘the seed of the serpent’ (Gen. 3:15). Is the Son of God also the Son of Man, then the son of Satan will also be the ‘Man of Sin’ (2Th. 2:3). Is there a Holy Trinity, then there is also an Evil Trinity (Rev. 20:10).17 The Antichrist occupies the role of “the son” in the ultimate mimic, the so-called “unholy trinity.” Is there a Holy Trinity, then there is also an Evil Trinity (Rev. 20:10). In this Trinity of Evil Satan himself is supreme, just as in the Blessed Trinity the Father is (governmentally) supreme: note that Satan is several times referred to as a father (John 8:44, etc.). Unto his son, the Antichrist, Satan gives his authority and power to represent and act for him (Rev. 13:4) just as God the Son received “all power in heaven and earth” from His Father, and uses it for His glory. The Dragon (Satan) and the Beast (Antichrist) are accompanied by a third, the False Prophet, and just as the third person in the Holy Trinity, the Spirit, bears witness to the person and work of Christ and glorifies Him, so shall the third person in the Evil Trinity bear witness to the person and work of the Antichrist and glorify him (see Rev. 13:11-14).18 (Editorial note: A W Pink has written an entire book on the Antichrist [Table of content - The Antichrist], and while much of it is very good, the reader is advised to read it with his Bible open and a prayerful dependence on his Teacher the Holy Spirit, as Pink tends to interpret the Scriptures from a Supernaturalistic perspective [See discussion-Is Your Interpretation Supernaturalistic, Naturalistic, Existentialistic, Dogmatic].) CONTRASTS BETWEEN CHRIST AND ANTICHRIST Christ Antichrist called the Christ (Mat. 16:16) called the Antichrist (1Jn. 4:3) the Man of Sorrows (Isa. 53:3) the Man of Sin (2Th. 2:3) the Son of God (John 1:34) the Son of Perdition (2Th. 2:3) the Seed of woman (Gen. 3:15) the seed of the Serpent (Gen. 3:15) the Lamb (Isa. 53:7) the Beast (Rev. 11:7) the Holy One (Mark 1:24) the Wicked One (2Th. 2:8) the Truth (John 14:6) the Lie (John 8:44) Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6) profane Prince (Eze. 21:25) glorious Branch (Isa. 4:2) abominable Branch (Isa. 14:19) the Mighty Angel (Rev. 10:1) the Angel of the Bottomless Pit (Rev. 9:11) the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) the Idol Shepherd (Zec. 11:17) the number of His name (the Gematria [or here] of “Jesus” in the Greek) 888 the number of his name 666 (Rev. 13:18) came down from heaven (John 3:13) comes up out of the bottomless pit (Rev. 11:7) came in Another’s Name (John 5:43) comes in his own name (John 5:43) came to do the Father’s will (John 6:38) will do his own will (Dan. 11:36) energized by the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:14) energized by Satan (Rev. 13:4) submitted Himself to God (John 5:30) defies God (2Th. 2:4) humbled Himself (Php. 2:8) exalts himself (Dan. 11:37) honored the God of His fathers (Luke 4:16) refuses to (Dan. 11:37) cleansed the temple (John 2:14, 16) defiles the temple (Mat. 24:15) ministered to the needy (Isa. 53:7) robs the poor (Ps. 10:8, 9) rejected of men (Isa. 53:7) accepted by men (Rev. 13:4) leads the flock (John 10:3) leaves the flock (Zec. 11:17, cp Zech 11:15-16) slain for the people (John 11:51) slays the people (Isa. 14:20) glorified God on earth (John 17:4) blasphemes the name of God in heaven (Rev. 13:6) received up into heaven (Luke 24:51) goes down into the Lake of Fire (Rev. 19:20) Supernatural Origin? - The most controversial aspect of the Antichrist concerns his origin. Clearly he is empowered by Satan (Dan. 8:24; 2Th. 2:9). Scripture also records his ascent from the bottomless pit (Abyss, Rev. 11:7; 17:8). As