The Antichrist and the Second Advent

The name of Antichrist

"Here is wisdom. Let him that bath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six." Rev.xiii:18.

"There is in this beast, a recapitulation made of all sorts of iniquity and every deceit, in order that all apostate power following into and being shut up in him, may be sent into the furnace of fire. Fittingly, therefore shall his name be the number six hundred and sixty six, since he sums up in his own person all the commixture of wickedness which took place previous to the deluge, due to the apostasy of the angels. For Noah was six hundred years old when the deluge came upon the earth, sweeping away the rebellious world, for the sake of that most infamous generation which lived in the times of Noah. And Antichrist also sums up every error of devised idols since the flood, together with the slaying of the prophets and the cutting off of the just. For that image which was set up by Nebuchadnezzar had a height of sixty cubits, with breadth of six cubits; on account of which Ananias, Azarias and Misael, when they did not worship it were cast into a furnace of fire, pointing out prophetically, by what happened to them, the wrath against the righteous which shall arise towards the end of the time. For that image, taken as a whole, was a prefiguring of this man's coming, decreeing that he should undoubtedly himself alone be worshipped by all men. Then, the six hundred years of Noah, in whose time the deluge occured because of the apostasy, and the number of the cubits of the image for which these just men were sent into the fiery furnace, do indicate the number of the name of that man in whom is concentrated the whole apostasy of six thousand years, and unrighteousness, and wickedness, and false prophesy and deception." St. Irenaeus

"The number which expresses the digit six being adhered to throughout, indicates the recapitulations of that apostasy, taken in its full extent, which occured at the beginning, during the intermediate period, and which shall take place at the end." St. Irenaeus.

"Many names we find the letters of which are the equivalent of this number: such as, for instance, the word "Titan", an ancient and notable name; or "Evanthas", for it too makes up the same number" St. Hippolytus.

It is therefore more certain, and less hazardous, to await the fulfillment of the prophecy, than to be making surmises, and casting about for any names that may be found possessing the number mentioned; and the same question, will after all, remain unsolved. For if there are many names found possessing this number, it will be asked which among them shall the coming man bear. It is not through a want of names containing the number of that name that I say this but on account of the fear of God, and zeal for the truth: For the name EVANTHAS contains the required number, but I make no allegation regarding it. TEITAN, too (Teitan, the first syllable being written with the two Greek vowels E and t ), among all the names which are found among us, is rather worthy of credit. For it has in itself the predicted number, and is composed of six letters, each syllable containing three letters; and the word is ancient, and removed from ordinary use; for among our kings we find none bearing this name Teitan, nor have any of the idols which are worshipped in public among the Greeks and barbarians this appellation. This word contains a certain outward appearance of vengeance, and of one inflicting merited punishment because he (Antichrist) pretends that he vindicated the oppressed. And besides this, it is an ancient name, one worthy of credit, of royal dignity, and still further, a name belonging to a tyrant.

"Inasmuch, then, as this name "Titan" has so much to recommend it, there is a strong degree of probability, that from among the many names suggested, we infer, that perchance he who is to come shall be called "Titan". WE WILL NOT, HOWEVER, INCUR THE RISK OF PRONOUNCING POSITIVELY AS TO THE NAME OF ANTICHRIST; FOR IF IT WERE NECESSARY THAT HIS NAME SHOULD BE DISTINCTLY REVEALED IN THIS PRESENT TIME, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED BY HIM WHO BEHELD THE APOCALYPTIC VISION.

"But as for those who, for the sake of vainglory, allay it down for certain that names containing the spurious number are to be accepted, and affirm that this name, is that of him who is to come; such persons shall not come forth without loss, Because they have led into error both themselves and others. Now, in the first place, it is loss to wander from the truth, and to imagine that as being the case which is not. Moreover, another danger, by no means trifling, shall overtake those who falsely presume that they know the name of Antichrist. For if these men assume one name, when he shall come having another name, they will be Easily led away by him, as supposing him not to be the expected one, who must be guarded against.

"Let them await in the first place, the division of the kingdom into ten; then, in the next place, when these kings are reigning, and beginning to set their affairs in order, and advance their kingdom. Let them learn to acknowledge that he who shall come claiming the kingdom for himself, and shall terrify those men of whom we have been speaking, having a name containing the aforesaid number, is truly the abomination of desolation. this too, the apostle affirms: 'When they shall say, peace and safety, then sudden destruction shall come upon them.' 1 Thess.v:3" St. Irenaeus.