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Who Is the Antichrist?
The term "antichrist" means either "against Christ" or "instead of Christ." This term only appears in the New Testament writings of John (1 John 2:18, 22; 1 John 4:3; 2 John 7). John says antichrist is coming, but that many antichrists have already come. The Bible teaches that the greatest adversary of Christ is Satan, who was originally created by God as one of the angel guards that stood by God's throne. That was before he rebelled against God and became the enemy of Jesus Christ.
Satan works through human governments and other agencies. During the dark middle ages he even worked through the apostate Christian church. During that time the church allied itself with powerful civil governments and persecuted and killed many earnest Christians who disagreed with her false teachings. The apostle Paul warned in 2 Thessalonians 2:7 that the secret power of lawlessness was already at work, would do "all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders," (2 Thessalonians 2:9) and would continue until it is destroyed at the 2nd coming of Jesus.
Just before Jesus comes there will be a great time of trouble and distress (Daniel 12:1), but God's people will be protected. The seven last plagues will be poured out on those who have been fighting against God, and at the end of the plagues Jesus will come to save His people.
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