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whether John in using the singular had in mind one paramount Antichrist, of which the others
to which he refers were merely harbingers or forerunners, or simply meant to personify the
principle embodied in several antichrists, the principle of evil militating against the Kingdom of
God. Antichrist clearly does represent a certain principle, I John 4:3. If we bear this in mind, we
shall also realize that, though John is the first to use the term “antichrist,” the principle or spirit
indicated by it is clearly mentioned in earlier writings. Just as there is in Scripture a clearly
marked development in the delineation of Christ and of the Kingdom of God, so there is also a
progressive revelation of antichrist. The representations differ, but increase in definiteness as
God’s revelation progresses.
In the majority of the Old Testament prophets we see the principle of unrighteousness working
in the ungodly nations which show themselves hostile to Israel and are judged by God. In the
prophecy of Daniel we find something more specific. The language used there furnished many
of the features of Paul’s description of the man of sin in II Thessalonians. Daniel finds the
wicked, ungodly principle embodied in the “little horn,” Dan. 7:8,23-26, and describes it very
clearly in 11:35 ff. Here even the personal element is not altogether wanting, though it is not
entirely certain that the prophet is thinking of some particular king, namely, Antiochus
Epiphanes, as a type of Antichrist. The coming of Christ naturally calls forth this principle in its
specifically anti-Christian form, and Jesus represents it as embodied in various persons. He
speaks of pseudoprophetai and pseudochristoi, who take position against Him and His
Kingdom, Matt. 7:15; 24:5,24; Mark 13:21,22; Luke 17:23. In order to correct the erroneous
view of the Thessalonians, Paul calls attention to the fact that the day of Christ cannot come,
“except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” He
describes this man of sin as “he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God
or worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God,” I Thess.
2:3,4. This description naturally reminds us of Dan. 11:36 ff. and clearly points to Antichrist.
There is no good reason for doubting the identity of the man of sin, of whom Paul speaks, and
the Antichrist mentioned by John. The apostle sees the “mystery of lawlessness” already at
work, but assures his readers that the man of sin cannot come forth until that which (or, “he
that”) restraineth is taken out of the way. When this obstacle, whatever it may be (it is
variously interpreted), is removed, he will appear “whose coming is according to the working of
Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,” verses 7-9. In this chapter the personal
element is presupposed throughout. The book of Revelation finds the anti-Christian principle or
power in the two beasts coming up out of the sea and out of the earth, Rev. 13. The first is
generally thought to refer to governments, political powers, or some world-empire; the second,
though not with the same unanimity, to false religion, false prophecy, and false science,
particularly the first two. This opponent, or opposing principle, John in his epistles finally calls
“Antichrist.”