How does Scripture define the Antichrist?

Little children, it is the last time. And just as you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have risen up, from which we know that it is the last hour.1 John 2:18

Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He who denies the Father and the Son is antichrist.1 John 2:22

and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in [the] flesh is not of God. And this is the antichrist you heard is coming, and even now is already in the world. 1 John 4:3

For many deceivers have entered into the world, who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in [the] flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist .2 John 1:7

These are the only occurrences in the entire Bible of the word antichrist. These books were written by John as was Revelation. He says that the antichrist is already in the world and who it is. It is anyone who denies Christ!!! If the antichrist was present in the world in John's day, how can we be looking for a fulfillment of this in the future? The apostacy was already present in New Testament times. Many of the letters to the churches were written to deal with the false teachers and false doctrines that were spreading.


When are the Last Days?

Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,1 Peter 1:20

But the end of all things has drawn near. Therefore be of sound mind, and be sensible to prayers.1 Peter 4:7

God, who at many times and in many ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds,Hebrews 1:1,2

But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel: "And it shall be in the last days, says God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh. And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Acts 2:16,17

Little children, it is the last time. And just as you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have risen up, from which we know that it is the last hour. 1 John 2:18

But the end of all things has drawn near. Therefore be of sound mind, and be sensible to prayers 1 Peter 4:7 .

God's Word says the last days, last times was already upon them at the time the New Testament was written. In 1 John 2:18 John says that they know the last hour is upon them because the antichrists have risen up. Obviously, then, these passages can't refer to the end of the world. Therefore, what do they refer to? In my opinion, they refer to the end of the Old Covenant being replaced by a new, better covenant. In some places, the term is also used to refer to the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. When the temple in Jerusalem was completely destroyed, the Jews could no longer practice out the old covenant in respect to sacrifices, therefore completely destroying the old covenant at that time.


Meaning of thousand in Scripture

Therefore, know that the LORD your God, He [is] God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations. Deuteronomy 7:9

Be always mindful of His covenant, the word He commanded to a thousand generations,1 Chronicles 16:15

He has remembered His covenant forever, the word [which] He commanded to a thousand generations;Psalms 105:8

Since a generation is about 40 years, if we take these passages literally, that means the earth has about 34,000 years left to go. I come up with that figure, based upon the belief that our earth is about 6000 years old.

For every beast of the forest [is] Mine, [and] the cattle on a thousand hills.Psalms 50:10

If we take this passage literally, God only owns the cattle on a thousand hills and the rest of the cattle don't belong to Him.

God uses the word thousand in the Bible to indicate completeness. Therefore, when He uses the word thousand in Revelation it doesn't necessarily have to mean a literal thousand years any more than the above passages must be taken literally.

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