CHAPTER XXI.

 

THE SEAT OF ANTICHRIST.

 

“The dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.”—Rev. 13: 2.

 

 

BEFORE this we have said that there have been already many antichrists, but that there is to be in the future the final Antichrist.  In this chapter let us note some things concerning the “seat” of the final Antichrist.

     The first thought is, Antichrist will have a “seat” (Greek, “throne or kingly power”).  Hence, we are bound to say that he will sit on a throne as a king.  The fact that the word “throne” is mentioned together with “power and authority,” shows that the “seat” itself will be of special significance.  Assyria was the second head of Antichrist, and the predomi­nating characteristics of her religion were sculpture, architec­ture, and painting.  It is said that Sennacherib, the most re­nowned of all the Assyrian kings, made Nineveh, his royal city, to shine like the sun.  The proud monarchs of the world have saved no expenses in making their thrones beautiful.  The throne of Antichrist will exceed in costly adornments, in beauty, and in matchless splendor any throne ever erected upon earth before.  The inclination, already in men’s hearts to worship architecture, will be intensified by the grandeur of this throne.  It will so eclipse, in beauty, everything else in the world, that men everywhere will be supernaturally drawn to­wards it.  Thus the very seat of Antichrist is significant, and works a supernatural influence upon the world.

     However, the mere “seat”, of Antichrist is not all there is in connection with his seat.  “The Dragon gave him his power.”  This word “power” is found in Matt. 11: 20; Acts 8: 13; 2 Cor. 12: less, in which verses it is translated “mighty works,”

 

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“miracles,” and “mighty deeds,” respectively; and from this we may learn that miracle‑working power is meant.  Paul says of Antichrist: “His coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivable­ness of unrighteousness in them that perish.”—2 Thes. 2: 9, 10.  Of the “false prophet,” who works in connection with Antichrist, it is said: “He doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast. . . . . He had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should speak.”—Rev. 13: 13‑15.  The power of Antichrist to work miracles, together with his magnificent throne, will make him an exceedingly attractive, fascinating, and bewitching person.  John says, “All the world wondered after (admired) the beast.”—Rev. 13: 3.  He will charm men as serpents charm their prey.  Men will not flee from him in terror, but will love him, and will delight and glory in him as the hero of the ages.  The “power” of Antichrist will make him the idol of the world.

     What has been said is not all there is to be said in this con­nection.  Antichrist will have world‑wide authority.  “The Dragon gave him great authority.”  All rulers will gladly yield him their seats, and give him their dominions; and all the nations will recognize him as the king of the whole world.  “Power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”—Rev. 13: 7.  He will wield a world‑wide sceptre.

     Another thing about Antichrist to which I must call your attention is, that he will be the world‑power in its consumma­tion—the whole sum of it from beginning to end in one person, as it will be in the very last days of its existence.  The duration of his reign is explicitly given, and when it ends (Rev. 19: 20), all of this world’s kings, armies, and administration are gone forever.  He is, therefore, the consummation of the political sovereignties of this world, in the last months of its existence.

 

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Daniel’s beasts were the successive empires of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome (Dan. 7); but the lion, the bear, the leopard, and the terrible ten‑horned beast, each distinct there, are all united in one in Rev. 13: 1, 2.  All the characteristics of the seven heads of which we have spoken in previous chapters are united in the final Antichrist.  He is, therefore, the embodi­ment and consummation of the political dominions of the world, as it presents itself at the final outcome.

     Antichrist claims homage from man.  He will be the con­summate antagonist and supplanter of everything that is good.  John saw him as having “upon his heads the names of blas­phemy.”  “And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies. . . . . And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.”—Rev. 13: 1, 5, 6.  Daniel says of him: “He shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods.”—Dan. 11: 36.   Paul says: “He opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”—2 Thes. 2: 4.  He claims to be the only God.  Hence, he is a greater persecutor of all Jehovah’s children.  It is stated: “It was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them.”—Rev. 13: 7.  In the first six heads of Antichrist the deifica­tion of the kings, and the claiming and giving of divine honors to them was a part of the common religion of the state.  It was especially so with the Emperor of Rome.  There were divine titles and honors given to Julius Caesar while he lived, and temples erected to his honor after he was dead.  There can be no question of the profession of Deity in the case of all the great sovereign powers from the beginning on.  For a human to claim the title of Deity is blasphemy; and all the great sovereign heads have worn the names of blasphemy.  What the antichrists of the ages have done the final Antichrist will do.

 

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The result will be: “All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life.”— Rev. 13: 8.  Thus we see that Antichrist will claim divine honors, and will be worshipped.

The source from which he receives his extraordinary char­acter and kingdom is clearly indicated.  “The Dragon (the devil) gave him his power, etc.”  When Christ was on earth, the devil one day showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and said unto Him, “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.”  Jesus re­jected his offer; but Satan at last finds one who accepts it.  Antichrist will worship the devil, and will cause all under him to worship the devil.  In return he receives what was offered to Jesus.  Satan will make over the infernal kingdom into his hands, and place him into the sovereignty of this world as his great viceregent.  Surely, then, he will be a very extraordinary person, endowed with all the energy and power of the devil himself.

Antichrist will rule as a tyrant.  While there will be ten kings that will rule with him for a while (Rev. 17:12), yet he himself will make the laws and see that they are obeyed.  Daniel says that he will “change times and laws.” (Dan. 7: 25), and “shall do according to his will.  He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things.” (Dan. 11: 36, 43.)  All the commercial wealth of the world will be in his hands, and he will make very strict laws concerning buying and selling.  The facts are, he will have absolute control of all the provisions, establishments, moneys, etc., of the whole world, and will do according to his will.

The next thought is the time of his appearing, and the duration of his reign.  The final Antichrist will not appear until the Bride of Christ has been caught away, and The Great Tribulation has begun.  Paul says: “The mystery of inquity doth already work: only he who now hindereth (hindereth

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what?  The revelation of Antichrist) will hinder, until he be taken (Greek, born) out of the way.”—2 Thes. 2: 7.  It is the Bride that is born out of the way, after which birth the Anti­christ will be revealed.  He does not appear, however, until much of The Tribulation is over.  We first read of him in Rev. 11: 7.  According to Dan. 9: 27, he will continue on earth for seven years.  “He shall confirm a covenant with many for one seven.” (R. Text.)  Taking this “one seven” in con­nection with Dan. 9: 2, 24‑27, we can clearly see that it means seven years.  In the middle of the seven years he shall break the covenant he has made with many (Dan. 9:27), and shall become king of the whole world.  His reign will continue forty-­two months, or exactly three and one‑half years.  So Antichrist will appear seven years before The Great Tribulation closes, the last half of which time he will reign as king of the whole world.

     It may seem strange to some how that any person, however influential, could in so short a time build such a vast empire.  The fact is, however, that when Antichrist shall come he will find his kingdom already established, and his royal city to a great extent already built.  We have before shown that the seventh head is now developing.  Before Antichrist himself appears all trusts, combines, corporations, labor unions, secret orders, organizations of false religions, etc., will have com­bined their treasures, means, and labors, and will have built a city as one grand commercial and ecclesiastical center.  The wealth of the world will be in the hands of a few men, and every government on earth will have to submit to the dictates of these few.  Such a state of affairs will naturally give de­mand for some one person of unusual ability to take charge of everything.  The moneyed men will be seeking for such a man.  Under such circumstances, and in the midst of world‑wide expectancy for just such a man, Antichrist makes his appear­ance.  Within three and one‑half years’ time he has canvassed

 

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the whole world, and almost all men unite in making him their king and common lord.

     What and where will be the great and final commercial centre and royal city of Antichrist?  To the Word we go.  In Zech. 5: 5‑11, we have a picture of the world’s symbol of com­merce.  The complete fulfilment of this prophecy is placed in the time of “the curse” (Zech. 5: 3), that is, in time of The Great Tribulation.  “This is their resemblance through all the earth,” that is, this is their symbol in the day in which this prophecy is fulfilled.  It is nearing its full development now, and it will be finally accomplished in The Tribulations.  The ephah, the dry measure, and the weight of lead are necessities in every commercial establishment.  Woman is always a type of the church: a pure woman, a type of the pure church, and a wicked woman, a type of the false church.  In this prophecy the wicked woman is cast into the midst of the ephah, and the weight of lead cast upon the mouth thereof—a prophecy of the complete union of the false church with the commercial world.  Two other women with stork wings bear away the union.  Zechariah said to the angel: “Whither do these bear the ephah?”  The angel replied: “To build it an house in the land of Shinar; and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.”  It was into the land of Shinar that Nimrod first marched, there he began his kingdom, and there he laid the foundation of Babylon.  It is in the land of Shinar that the final commercial centre is to be established, and there set up upon her own base.  Yea, in connection with the reign of Anti­christ Babylon comes into view again.  We first see her in “Mystery” (Rev. 17: 5), as the system of all false worship; but that the real material city of Babylon is finally built can not be denied.  “The woman which thou sawest is that great CITY, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.”—Rev 17: 18.  Thus, according to Zechariah’s prophecy and other Scriptures, we learn that Babylon, in the land of Shinar, is to

 

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be that final commercial and religious centre, and the royal “seat” of Antichrist.

     That many will reject the idea of the literal City of Babylon being rebuilt, I am aware.  They tell us that God said He would overthrow Babylon as He did the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.  (Isa. 13: 19.)  Exactly so; but those who use this Scripture against our position forget that God places this over­throw in “the day of the Lord” (Isa. 13: 6), and that this argument really strengthens our position, for Babylon has never yet been destroyed as were Sodom and Gomorrah.  So in order for this, as well as many other Scriptures to be ful­filled, the literal material city of Babylon will have to be re­stored.  We say that Babylon will be rebuilt.

     The “seat” of Antichrist will be a magnificent one.  His Royal city will be Babylon.  Before he appears, this city will become the commercial and religious centre of the world. He appears seven years before The Great Tribulation closes, dur­ing the last half of which time he reigns over all nations as an absolute despot.  He exalts himself above all that is called God, and solicits homage from all men.  He will be the final embodiment and consummation of all the sovereignties of this world.  He will deceive all nations by means of miracle‑work­ing power.  The devil is the one from whom he receives all of his authority, and his power, and his seat.