THE ANTICHRIST, HIS IDENTITY AND NAME

Understanding Revelation 17 and correlating with Daniel 7.

Some say the Antichrist will arise from being a pope or a high-ranking political leader. Some say he will come out of a revived Roman empire. Let us consider what the Bible has to say about this beast, for it tells much, including who he is and his name.

The reason why many people miss what God reveals about the dragon (the devil) and his beasts, is that they look only, or mostly, in the “physical,” when it involves “spiritual beings and entities.”

Please read the following verses without looking at past or present global empires or thinking that the 7 mountains are physical, as they are not. This is about a demonic beast and demonic kingdoms.

Consider these verses from the book of Revelation.

• Revelation 17:1-2 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication."

The angel told John what he wanted to reveal: 1. The judgment of the great harlot. 2. She sits on many waters, (prophetically speaking “waters” are people). 3. The “kings of the earth” committed spiritual fornication and the “inhabitants of the earth” are people who enjoyed the wicked benefits of sin.

The angel explains more about who the whore and the beast are, and in chapter 18, tells about her judgment.

• Revelation 17:3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

John was taken by the angel from the physical and went in the Spirit, so that John could see in the spiritual realm. And behold, he saw a woman, sitting on a scarlet beast. Note that this beast has 7 heads and 10 horns.

• Revelation 17:4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.

The woman, the great whore, represents those of mankind that sell-out to the devil. This whore holds the golden and bejeweled cup of abominations and the filthiness of spiritual adultery because it is who she is.

• Revelation 17:5-6a And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.

John saw her name written on her forehead (one of the two places people will receive the mark of the beast). She is not just any whore, she is the "mother whore" or "queen whore," so to speak.

Why is this particular title or name given to this whore, which includes being called, Babylon the great? Remember the tower of Babel and its rebellion? That physical area came to be called Babylon. The physical region is still there today. Even after God destroyed their tower and divided them up by place and language, the attitude continued. The attitude and the demons behind it are spiritual.

It was the devil's dream before the flood, to destroy mankind and thwart the plans of God and it is still his dream. Satan, the serpent, the dragon of old, has worked for a long time to raise up a “tower of Babel rebellion" again.

This “Babylon the great” will make the original tower of Babel rebellion, look tiny; as it was only 4 generations after the flood and not a huge population like today.

This rebellious whore will become drunk from “the blood of the saints and the martyrs of Jesus,” which shows that saints will not only be present, but will be persecuted, killed and martyred. This will happen during the first 3½ years with a definite increase toward the end; and will be stopped at the rapture.

• Revelation17:6b-7 And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement. But the angel said to me, "Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.”

The angel starts describing the beast and will afterward describe the whore. This “beast” is a “spiritual beast” with 7 heads and 10 horns 

• Revelation 17:8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.*    (*NKJV footnote says “yet is” has the meaning “will be present.”)

This beast has 7 heads, with each head ruling at different times. Each head represents a demonic spiritual kingdom. The beast in reference here is a specific demon who was a king over a kingdom before.

The angel is referring to the same beast John saw earlier. This description in Revelation 17:7 is in perfect unison with the beast he previously saw and recorded in,

• Revelation 13:1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.

In Revelation 17:8, the angel told John that the lost (those whose names are not written in the Book of Life) will “marvel at him; this beast that was, is not,” during John's vision, “and yet will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition” (perdition means destruction, so he will come out destroying).

This is a spiritual beast, not a human but a spiritual demon. He was loose before, but bound at the time of John’s experience and will be loosed again.

• Revelation 17:9 "Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits."

The woman, Babylon the great whore, sits on 7 heads which are 7 mountains. Spiritually, mountains represent kingdoms. This references 7 spiritual kingdoms. Some have thought them to be 7 mountains around Rome or Jerusalem, but it is just not so.

• Revelation 17:10-11 “There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.”

This is amazing. Each head (mountain), each demonic spiritual kingdom, will have had a demonic spiritual king. But this “one that will be,” is 1 of the 7, but not the evil demon king in power at the time of John’s experience. This part of the mystery is different because the first part referred to the beast as a whole. This part is about the kings of those spiritual kingdoms.

The angel could have said that there would be an 8th king of an 8th kingdom, but the 8th kingdom’s king, will really be one of the 7 kings, of 7 previous kingdoms, who will be let loose to rule again. But he did not say it that way.

He said there would be an 8th king (therefore an 8th kingdom) who would really be “one” of the 7 kings, though not the one who was ruling, when John received the word from the angel.

The one who would be the 8th king, could not have been ruling when John had his experience because he was already bound in the bottomless pit. From this, we can also realize that he will be from one of the five who came before the time of John and this word.

The Bible reveals some about the strata of how the devil works in Daniel 10:13,10:20 and Ephesians 6:12. Daniel called the demonic spirits “princes” in his book, that Michael and Gabriel had to fight against. Strong's says the word that Daniel used which was translated “prince” by many, also means “ruler.”

Five kings (and kingdoms) were before John, a 6th king (and kingdom) was in power during John's time, a 7th king (and kingdom) would come for a short time and then an 8th king, who will come into power, will have been one of the 7 previous kings before him.

One demonic king, “And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition” (Revelation 17:8a). This demon will have “two terms” and this demonic king is called a beast here. Anyone can try to rationalize this with the Babylonian, Roman, Greek, Chaldean or Turkish empires; but the bottom line is that there are 7 demonic kings, one of which was put away to be let out again later for a 2nd term. This is the evil one that we are all on the look-out for. This demonic king, this “beast,” is the Antichrist. He has had a kingdom before, been locked away and at some point, will be let out to “do it again.”

• Revelation 17:12-14 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."

This is in reference to Armageddon. At the end of the last week of years, there is a short battle where the demons and people join together at Armageddon against Jesus Christ who comes on a white horse with the armies of heaven and who conquers the evil ones in short order.

• Revelation 17:15-16 Then he said to me, "The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire."

There is more confirmation about how the waters represent people. The 10 horns (horns represent persons of power)... these hate the people and bring destruction upon her. This is the ugly truth about the devil. He is no one's friend. No one in his camp are friend to anyone; no matter what lie of theirs people choose to believe. They are darkness which is the absence of light. They are evil and take pleasure in the destruction of anything or anyone they can destroy: to try to get at God.

• Revelation 17:17-18 "For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth."

The whore that is carried by the beast, Babylon, is the "evil network” so to speak. The angel told John that the woman is “that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.” The evil network works through, manipulates and controls people and is driven by pride, greed and lust which are utilized by the devil to accomplish his evil plans. 

Let's consider some of the verses from the book of Daniel.

• Daniel 7:1-8 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts. Daniel spoke, saying, "I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man's heart was given to it. And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: 'Arise, devour much flesh!' After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it. After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.

Daniel saw 4 beasts, but 7 heads. The 10 horns + 1 horn = 11; 11 horns  – 3 horns = 8 horns

Now for the interpretation.

• Daniel 7:15-16 I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things:

Someone from the heavenly realm, heard Daniel's request to understand what he had been seeing.

• Daniel 7:17-20 “Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever." Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.

The holy one gave Daniel the interpretation about the 4 beasts he had seen rise out of the sea. Is this sea like “water” that represents people? Maybe, but it is more likely they were demonic. “Sea,” can also mean spiritual world. Has anyone ever heard of a human described as what Daniel saw? The angel could have said there were 4 “people” who rose to power, but he didn’t.

So, Daniel really wondered about the 4th beast. This dreadful beast had 10 horns, from which 3 were removed and an 11th horn came forth. This 11th horn with 3 removed, makes him the 8th.

• Daniel 7:21-22 I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.

Notice how similar the beast that John saw is to the one Daniel saw.

• Revelation 13:1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.

Then, when John saw the beast, the 10 horns had crowns.

• Revelation 13:2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.

 

• Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.

John saw that all of the world (the lost) marveled and followed the beast whose head seemed to be fatally wounded but was healed.

• Revelation 13:4-7 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.

Daniel and John saw the same thing. Both saw the evil one make war with the saints (the people of God). Next, we go back to Daniel and the interpretation.

Back to Daniel and the Interpretation.

• Daniel 7:23 Thus he said: "The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all other kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, trample it and break it in pieces."

The angel said it will devour and trample the whole earth and break it in pieces.

• Daniel 7:24a "The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them;"

Consider the 11th king.

• Daniel 7:24b-25 “He shall be different from the first ones, and shall subdue three kings. He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.”

Three kings/kingdoms shall be subdued by him and he will be pompous against God. He will persecute the Saints and attempt to turn things upside down by changing the times and law. He will rule for a time, times and half a time. This is during the first 3 ½ years.

• Daniel 7:26-28 “'But the court shall be seated, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it forever. Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.'"This is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart.

Take comfort, if you or your loved ones should live through this time and under evil rule. God's people will win in the end. The early church suffered through more than 300 years of horrible times, persecution and martyrdom. This time of tribulation is only 3½ years. We could fear, dread or even cry about it, but it would do no good. We need to trust the Lord, that He always knows what is best for each of us. Whether one’s body rises from the grave or rises alive at the trumpet’s call, the saints win!

Daniel told about the 11th horn and John told about the 8th king who was of the 7. Both are the same wicked one.

For now, let’s reveal who this evil one is.

• Revelation 11:7-8 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

The Two Witnesses will finish their testimony in Jerusalem and be killed by the beast that will ascend out of the bottomless pit. This beast will be the 8th king of the 7, as explained by the angel to John in chapter 17.

So, who is the “king of the bottomless pit” that was and is again, an evil demon king?

• Revelation 9:11 And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.

His name in Hebrew, is Abaddon, which means "destroying angel" and in Greek, Apollyon, which means “destroyer.” No matter what his name is, the son of perdition, the 11th horn, the 8th king or the Antichrist, he is coming and what has been prophesied of him, will be.

OTHER ARTICLES IN "THE ANTICHRIST" CATEGORY

ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION BIBLE VERSES
A compilation for thought & study.
ANTICHRIST & FALSE PROPHET BIBLE VERSES
A compilation for thought & study.
SATAN IS NOT THE ANTICHRIST
A distinct difference shown with Scripture.
THE ANTICHRIST, HIS IDENTITY & NAME
Understanding Revelation 17 & Daniel 7 & more.
THE DRAGON AND THE BEASTS WITH SEVEN HEADS AND TEN HORNS
It is possible that the dragon of Revelation 12, the beasts of Revelation 13 and 17, as well as the four beasts of Daniel chapter 7, are the same in some manner.
THE SCARLET BEAST AND THE MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH
Scripture with commentary showing much about who the beast is and its relationship with Babylon, the harlot, as well as, who she really is.
THE SECOND BEAST, THE FALSE PROPHET
In Revelation 13, we see that there is a first beast, the Antichrist, as well as a second beast, the false prophet.
UNDERSTANDING WHO THE ANTICHRIST IS, THE SON OF PERDITION
He is both false Christ & anti Christ.
WHAT IS THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION?
This is a clear and definitive look at what the Bible says about it.
WHO IS ABLE TO MAKE WAR WITH THE ONE WHO HAD THE DEADLY WOUND AND STILL LIVES?
Taking a look at how the assassination attempt of the Antichrist will amaze the lost and how strongly they will follow him.
WILL THE CHRISTIAN'S ANTICHRIST BE THE NEW JEWISH MESSIAH?
Thoughts for consideration.

ARTICLES ABOUT "THE TWO WITNESSES"

WHO ARE THE TWO WITNESSES?
Are they Enoch, Elijah or Moses in some combination or perhaps two others?
WHAT DO THE TWO WITNESSES REALLY DO?
Understanding their ministry, purpose & destiny.
TWO WITNESSES BIBLE VERSES
A compilation for thought & study.
COULD THE TWO WITNESSES BE THE ANGELS, GABRIEL AND MICHAEL?
Exploring the possibility.

"BASIC RAPTURE" ARTICLES

WHAT IS THE RAPTURE? 
Understanding the concept of biblical rapture.
IS THE WORD "RAPTURE" IN THE BIBLE?
Understanding "harpázō" - the word "rapture" comes from & where it's seen in the Bible.
MYSTERY OF THE SEVENTY WEEKS OF YEARS
A prophecy in Daniel foretold the coming of Christ & also the concept of the "last week of years" is derived; sometimes called "the 7 year tribulation."
RAPTURE VIEWS
Understanding pre, mid & post tribulation, millennial views, preterism & more.
THE TRIBULATION & THE WRATH OF GOD
Understanding what really happens during the last 7 years of this age.
TRIBULATION & WRATH, BIBLICAL DEFINITIONS & USAGE
A study taking a deeper look at original context.
​THE BEST BIBLICAL MINDSET FOR LIVING IN THE LAST DAYS
As shown in 1 and 2 Thessalonians.

MAIN MENU


Copyright 2016 E. Cockrell May be copied for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.