The Antichrist and the Second Advent

His coming to power

The coming of Antichrist to earth power after the earth has been ruined and devastated is depicted in Daniel: "The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down and break it in pieces." Dan vii:23, then, he continues, "shall rise up together ten kings, and after these an eleventh, the Antichrist, who by his magical craft shall put down three kings and the remaining seven he shall keep in subjection to himself.

"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy" and he goes on: "there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months." Rev xiii:1 and 5.

The "forty and two months" here are those of three and half years (three and half weeks) of Daniel vii:25, and the thousand two hundred and ninety days in Dan Xii:7.

By subduing three of these ten kingdoms, he will become the eighth king, "And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes into perdition." Rev xvii:11

"A blasphemer and lawless [Antichrist], not having received the kingdom from his father, but having usurped the power by means of sorcery." St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Lect. XV

"Since the demons and apostate spirits are at his service, he through their means performs wonders, by which he leads the inhabitants of the earth astray." St. Irenaeus.

"He will come with signs and lying wonders." 2 Thess ii:9, fictitious and not real, and he will deceive and lead away from the living God those whose mind rests on an unsound and unstable foundation, so that even the elect shall, if it be possible, be made to stumble.

"Who opposeth and exulteth himself against all that is called God, so that he seateth himself in the temple of God." 2 Thess.ii:4. If he comes to the Jews as Christ, and desires to be worshipped by them, he will make great account of the Temple, that he may more completely beguile them; making it supposed that he is the man of the race of David, who shall build up the Temple which was erected by Solomon." St. Cyril of Jerusalem

"And when the three horns are cut off, he will begin to show himself as God, as Ezekiel has said aforetime: 'Because thy heart has been lifted up, and thou hast said, I am God' xxviii:2, and also 'Wilt thou yet say to those who slay thee I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God.' xxviii :9

"Above all he will love the nation of the Jews. In his first steps he will be gentle, loveable, quiet, not allowing idolatry; loving, says the Scriptures, reverencing the priests, honoring his elders, repudiating fornication, detesting adultery, giving no heed to slanders, not admitting oaths, kind to strangers, kind to the poor, compassionate. And then he will work wonders, cleansing lepers, raising paralytics, "expelling demons, proclaiming things remote just as things present, raising ,the dead, helping widows, defending orphans.

"And all this he will do corruptly and deceitfully, and with the purpose of deluding all to make him king. For when the peoples and tribes see so great virtues and so great powers in him, they will all with one mind meet together to make him king. And above all others shall the nations of the Hebrews be dear to the tyrant himself, while they say one to another, Is there found indeed in our generation such a man, so good and just? 

"And at first indeed, that deceitful and lawless one, with crafty deceitfulness, will refuse such glory; but the men persisting, and holding by him, will declare him king. And thereafter he will be lifted up in heart, and he who was formerly gentle will become violent, and he who pursued love will become pitiless. Then he is: elevated to his kingdom, he will marshal war; and in his wrath he will smite three mighty kings, namely Egypt, Libya, and Ethiopia. And after that he will build the temple in Jerusalem, and will restore it again speedily and give it over to the Jews. And then he will be lifted up in heart against every man; yea, he will speak blasphemy also against God, thinking in his deceit that he shall be king upon the earth for ever. For when Daniel said: 'I shall make my covenant for one week.' Dan. ix:27, he indicated seven years; and one half of the week is for the preaching of the prophets, and for the other half ,of the week, that is, for three years and half, Antichrist will reign upon the earth." St. Hippolytus.