Antichrist = “take the place of” Christ
The antichrist is a political power not outwardly opposing Christ, instead subtly seeking to take the place of Christ. Anti in this context means “take the place of.” The characteristics to identify the Antichrist are found in the description of the little horn of Daniel 7, the man of sin in 2 Thessalonians 2, and beast from the sea in Revelation 13.
The definition of anti as “taking the place of,” is underscored in 2 Thessalonians 2: “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 NIV).
Of note, in the books 1 John and 2 John, John used antichrist to describe false teachers and anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ. John explained the Antichrist is coming into the world but that the spirit already existed. He also explained that many people could have the same antichrist spirit.
“I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist” (2 John 7 NLT).
“But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here (1 John 4:3 NLT).
The spirit of antichrist, as John wrote, existed even during his life.
Paul tells us in 2 Thessalonians 2 that Jesus’ 2nd coming will not occur until this Antichrist power is more fully revealed (“that day will not come until the rebellion occurs”).
The single prophetic power described as the little horn, the man of lawlessness, and the sea beast is called “the” Antichrist because this power attempts to sit in the seat of Christ. This prophetic power continues a deceptive work across a long historical timeline but will be more fully revealed in the future before Jesus comes again.
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