The notion of a future world leader is one of the hottest topics going today. Hundreds of books, thousands of preachers, millions of believers, and billions of Google hits all attest to the belief that the Antichrist is coming.
To take a verse out of context, let's look at what Jesus said:
But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. (Mark 13:32) NASU
So no one except God knows when the end of the world comes, right? Not even Jesus Christ knows. If that be true, how can Satan know? You see, Satan has to know, because he's the one who is supposed to be behind the antichrist, giving him his power. Bogus.
It's no surprise that denominational preachers have latched onto a new theory to support their doctrine. Namely, that Satan always has a man ready on a moment's notice, to take over the world. Let me explain.
Premilennialist preachers say that when the rapture happens, Satan will install his man, the antichrist, on his throne to begin the 7-year tribulation. But since Satan doesn't know when the rapture will happen, he always maintains a couple of candidates somewhere in the world, ready at a moment's notice.
The word antichrist only appears in 1st John. It's not in Revelation, as so many believe. A casual reading of the text shows that antichrist is an attitude, not a person. Over the past 200 years, ignorant teachers have concocted these elaborate doctrines because they have misunderstood history and biblical prophecy.
