There is much talk about the Antichrist, there is much speculation about who this will be.  But we need to look at what this might be.  Yes, I said what.  There are many instances in the Bible of ‘Evil’. Judas Iscariot was called the ‘Son Of Perdition in the New Testament.   But when was the first evil?  Who was called ‘The Son of Perdition’  first?

Photo:  The Immaculate Conception destroying the Son of Perdition while being held down by Pope Gregory XIII. Mid-18th century, oil on canvas. Guatemalan Franciscan religious artwork

We know from the Bible that Satan entered Judas Iscariot.  And Jesus referred to him as the ‘Son of Perdition, when praying before His death.  Satan was a son, in fact it sounds like he was a favored son (Isaiah 14:12) How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!  Satan rebelled against God and even stated that he would be above God.  Satan wouldn’t serve man, so he set out to destroy God’s creation.  He has been the evil spirit of ‘Perdition’ from the beginning. 

Perdition means ‘Hell’ or eternal damnation.  When Satan and his angels rebelled against God, God judged them and condemned them to Hell and eternal damnation.  God didn’t create Hell for man, he created it for Satan and his followers.  Satan is the father of lies and a murder from the beginning.  Jesus told us this. 

This spirit of Antichrist as it’s  come to be known, is none other than Satan.  He has been enticing humans since the Garden.  He enticed the Israelites, (God’s chosen)  with false Gods and evil spirits, and all sorts of lying wonders.  I found a few men who were possessed by this evil spirit, and you can see for yourself by taking a look at history, how evil these men were.  I have compiled a list, with the likes of King Nebedchenezzer & Alexander the Great.  

But the 2 from antiquity that really stuck out  was Antiochus and Herod.  These 2 were the epitome of evil.  Antiochus actually thought he was Zeus!  Herod was just as twisted.  There is one view about Herod that he attempted to ‘drag the conservative Jews into his modern world.’  So you have 2 characteristics of previous leaders that are very strange, one thought himself a god, and the other was attempting to change the laws of God, by modernizing the law (Scripture).  This is what  Jesus fought so hard against.  This is what He expects us to fight against in our generation also.  We have a current leader acting like a modern day Herod, and Antiochus wrapped into one. 

Then there was Hitler.  Another example of pure ‘evil’!  This ancient spirit of evil can be traced back to the Garden and Satan.  He know’s he’s toast, he know’s he’s lost.  He has no power over man.  He can however enter into a person this is documented time after time in the Bible.  He and his demons can and will possess a willing participant.  He has infiltrated and disguised himself as angels and messengers and I believe even as a god.  He offered Jesus the world if He would just bow to him  Jesus replied ‘Get thee behind me Satan.’ Read about Antiochus and Herod and see what you think:

Antiochus: (New World Encyclopedia)

For Jews, Antiochus is the ‘little horn’ of Daniel 7. Rabbinical sources style him ‘the wicked.’ Yet his atrocious acts sparked a successful revolt against the Seleucid Empire that allowed the Jews to achieve virtual independence. The long struggle for independence left an deep mark on Judaism. The intensity of the attack upon the law and religious institutions led to a zealous defence and subsequent narrowing of vision. The notion of reform was compeletely discredited and the Hasmoneans who came to power were very reactionary. It was difficult now to achieve in Jerusalem and Palestine the kind of rich synthesis between Hebraism and Hellenism which would have universalized Judaism.

A Jewish Diaspora spread over the Greek and Roman worlds, where synagogues attracted many Gentile god-fearers. The Greek historian, Strabo (64 B.C.E. – 24 C.E.) said that it is hard to find a city where Jews had not settled. This reality became the ground on which Christianity would later flourish, of which Paul and Luke and other early Christians were products. Unlike Jews living in Jerusalem, Jews living in Diaspora were often happy to accept a creed that enabled them to abandon circumcision, and many of the Mosaic laws while retaining the essence of their faith. Under Roman rule, the Jews enjoyed the exemption, as a national religion, from compliance with the state religion. Greek was widely used as a language in Palestine and Diaspora during the Herodian period (Goodman, 43).

Antiochus regarded himself as Zeus (hence his title, epiphanes, meaning ‘manifestation of’), the Greek God. He gave lavishly to Greek temples, including the Temple of Zeus in Athens. His self-view as the supreme God meant that he saw himself as having power over all the religions in his realm. He thus tried to systematically change the traditions of the Jews, based on the laws of Moses, to make them conform to Greek beliefs. He built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, where instead of learning their ancient law, the priests engaged in wrestling contests in the Greek fashion, which meant they were naked. Those who were circumcised endeavored to hide this. Antiochus’ programs of Hellenization may even have involved altering the scriptures by, for example, introducing Greek cosmology into the Hebrew Scriptures. Texts say that people caught reading the Torah were punished, even killed; Sabbath observation was abolished and circumcision banned on pain of death. Josephus’ account describes this as follows:

Now Antiochus was not satisfied either with his unexpected taking the city, or with its pillage, or with the great slaughter he had made there; but being overcome with his violent passions, and remembering what he had suffered during the siege, he compelled the Jews to dissolve the laws of their country, and to keep their infants uncircumcised, and to sacrifice swine’s flesh upon the altar; against which they all opposed themselves, and the most approved among them were put to death. Bacchides also, who was sent to keep the fortresses, having these wicked commands, joined to his own natural barbarity, indulged all sorts of the extremist wickedness, and tormented the worthiest of the inhabitants, man by man, and threatened their city every day with open destruction, till at length he provoked the poor sufferers by the extremity of his wicked doings to avenge themselves (War, 1: 2; Whiston, V3: 11).

Herod:

Herod’s most famous project was rebuilding of the Temple of Jerusalem, greatly enlarging it and making it into the most beautiful in its time. Some of his other achievements include: the rebuilding the water supplies for Jerusalem, building his own palace in Jerusalem, refurbishing and constructing fortresses such as Masada and Herodion (Herodium), supporting the financially troubled Olympic Games, and creating whole new cities such as Caesarea Maritima and Sebaste. He also engaged in substantial relief programs during periods of drought or famine and influenced Rome to protect the rights of Jews in the Diaspora. Herod regarded himself as head of the Jews throughout the Roman Empire, of which they comprised approximately 10 percent. This enhanced his power, since Judea was a relatively small province. Herod wanted to make Judea more cosmopolitan and favored Hellenized, Diaspora Jews in his appointments. His concept was that Jews would be second to none as contributors to art, culture and learning and he no doubt saw himself as a religious reformer, “trying to drag an obstinate and conservative … people into the enlightened circle of the modern world” (Johnson 1987, 112). (New World Encyclopedia)

This spirit that inhabited men from the beginning is alive and well right now, he is unleashing dark spirits on those who are weak, or willing.  He is forming his kingdom, complete with leaders and followers.  The Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD just as Jesus said it would be.  God brought the people of Israel back to their homeland, but the temple mount is not in their control.  I read an article today about a paramedic who was not allowed to wear his jacket on the temple mount, because it had a blue star of David on the sleeve.  No symbols of Jews or Christianity, allowed on the temple mount, don’t bow your head as if your in prayer, or close your eyes, you’ll be escorted off the mount.  If muslims worshiped the same God as Jew’s and Christians, why would they be afraid to allow us to pray there?  There is an abomination of desolation in place there in one form or another ever since 70 AD, Jesus will bring with Him the New Jerusalem, when He returns. 

Those of us watching, and close to God can discern evil and evil spirits.  But they are very clever, I have been fooled before.  But it’s going to get very confusing, even more confusing than right now.  When evil begins to look good, and good begins to look evil, and you have to step back and shake your head to be able to tell the difference something is very, very wrong.  Something has turned, the gates of Hades are opening and all Hell is about to be unleashed.  Make sure you know who you are following. Read the History of the Bible start from the beginning.  God said ‘I make known the end from the beginning.’  This is one clue that really should be given a lot of thought!  God is telling us to start at the beginning, not the end or the middle.   Make sure you are ready, because if your not, you won’t recognize the ‘Son of Perdition’, and you will follow him right to perdition.

Related articles

• Barack Obama – Son of Perdition (unifiedserenity.wordpress.com)
• ‘The Great Falling Away’ ‘Faith Change: Islam rapidly grows as Christianity declines in UK’ (iamnotashamedofthegospelofchrist.com)
• Is Judas Iscariot The Biblical AntiChrist Beast of The Book of Revelation? (twclark66.wordpress.com)

Categories: Commentary by CJ, news

Tags: Bible, Christianity, God, Jesus, Jewish Diaspora, Judas Iscariot, satan, Son of perdition