Antichrist and America in Bible Prophecy

America In Bible Prophecy

Many have wondered if the American President is the Antichrist while others have just considered if America plays a role in end time prophecy. While the American President is not the Antichrist, America definitely plays an extremely significant role in the end times. So let’s look at who is the Antichrist today and America’s role in Bible prophecy.

In Revelation chapter 13 we find two beasts. The first beast (Revelation 13:1) comes out of the sea and the second (Revelation 13:11) out of the earth. This first beast is also known as the antichrist and is synonymous with the little horn in Daniel chapter 7, where the second beast that comes out of the earth is a kingdom that gives power back to the Antichrist and sets up an image to the first beast that all must worship or they cannot buy and sell and ultimately could lose their life.

So who is this first beast power known as the Antichrist? For extremely detailed information and proof to the identity of Antichrist, please read who is the Antichrist as this document is primarily aimed at examining the biblical evidence for the identity of the second beast of Revelation 13, which is responsible for giving power back to the Antichrist as this is just as important to understand. Before examining the evidence, we will give some brief detail on who the Bible shows to be Antichrist and what all the early Protestants believed as well as many famous theologians.

All the following people identified the Papal Church as the little horn of Daniel 7, which is synonymous with the first beast in Revelation 13, and many of them died by the hand of this power that ruled as Church and state for 1260 dreadful and dark years.

“John Wycliffe, William Tyndale (translated the Bible - Tyndale Bible), Martin Luther, John Calvin, Thomas Cranmer; in the seventeenth century, Bunyan, the translators of the King James Bible and the men who published the Westminster and Baptist confessions of Faith; Sir Isaac Newton, John Wesley, Whitfield, Jonathan Edwards; and more recently Spurgeon, Bishop J.C. Ryle and Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones; these men among countless others, all saw the office of the Papacy as the antichrist.” — All Roads Lead to Rome, by Michael de Semlyen. Dorchestor House Publications, p. 205. 1991.

So is the Antichrist one individual as many have been led to believe? Not according to John. The shocking truth is that this was manufactured prophecy with the intention of taking the focus of the Papal Church that had just been identified as the Antichrist by the early Protestants. Never underestimate the enemy. See futurists and futurism Bible prophecy for more detail on how this was done. John said that in his time there were MANY Antichrists and that anyone that denies Jesus came in the flesh is antichrist. 2 John 1:7. This would include a Church that denies Jesus came in the flesh by insisting that Christ took on the sinless nature of Mary’s flesh. You will note in the following passage that John made it very clear that the origin of antichrist was from the early Church. Note carefully what John says and consider who John is referring to when he says US in the following verse. 1 John 2:18-19

Mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots is also this same Antichrist power. We find that all throughout scripture that a Church is represented as a woman as the Church is the bride of Christ. So once again John identifies a Church that has shed the blood of the saints as the Papacy did in the dark ages where between 50,000,000 and 150,000,000 Christians where tortured and murdered as heretics. Revelation 17:3-6

This is what Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible states in regards to who is mystery Babylon the mother of harlots:

The following quotes are from the Catholic Church and reveal what they refer to as a heretic and also what they say should be done to heretics.

“He is a heretic who does not believe what the Roman Hierarchy teaches.” — The American Textbook of Popery, p 164 (quoting from the “Directory for the Inquisitors”).

“The church may by divine right confiscate the property of heretics, imprison their person, and condemn them to flames. In our age, the right to inflict the severest penalties, even death, belongs to the church. There is no graver offense than heresy, therefore it must be rooted out.” — Public Eccliastical, Vol. 2, p.142.

And finally, one more quote from Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible and what it says in regards to Daniel 7:25 speaking of the little horn, which is synonymous with the first beast of Revelation 13, which as previously stated is the Antichrist beast power.

All of the above information is in very brief detail but still adequately identifies the Antichrist as a Church which can be no other than the Roman Catholic Church and this has been known for more than 200 years by almost all of the famous theologians, Sir Isaac Newton and even the translators of the King James Bible to name a few. But what about the second beast of Revelation 13? What details do we have to identify who this second kingdom is?

America and the Second Beast of Revelation

Just hours before George W. Bush beat John Kerry on November 2 of 2004, an Associated Press article declared the following:

Statements such as “A day that will decide the fate of the world” and “The planet’s destiny is decided in large part by America” are not minor sentences. What happens in Washington DC affects the entire globe. In this light we inquire: Is America mentioned in Bible prophecy, or has God’s Word overlooked the world’s only superpower?

Many prophecy writers emphatically state that we are not there. They see the US fading into oblivion under a supposedly future New World Order dominated by the United Nations. In this document I want to give you something different to think about. I want to strongly suggest the possibility that America is the exact power specifically mentioned in this following mysterious verse: Revelation 13:11

Allow me to build a case. First, what is a “beast”? Answer: A great nation. The proofs are found in Daniel 7, a chapter that clearly parallels Revelation 13. Chapters talk about beasts, ten horns, a mouth speaking great things, and war on the saints (see Daniel 7:3-8, 21 and Revelation 13:1-7).

Daniel 7 describes four beasts: the lion, bear, leopard and dragon like beast. An angelic interpreter confirmed the answer to the symbolic meaning of a beast:

Daniel 7:23 “The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom on earth.”

According to Scripture, a beast is NOT a computer or some evil person, but a kingdom. Note this is what the angel said and is not my interpretation. Historically, 98% of Christian scholars have interpreted Daniel’s four beasts to represent the ancient nations of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Now back to the beast from the earth:

Revelation 13:11 “I saw another beast coming out of the earth.”

Thus John saw a great nation rising. From where? “Out of the earth.” Daniel’s beasts all rose from the sea (see Daniel 7:3-7). Water in prophecy represents multitudes of people. The answer is again confirmed by another angelic interpreter:

Revelation 17:15 “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues.”

Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome all rose from the midst of a sea of peoples in Europe and the Middle East. Not so with the beast in Revelation 13:11 as it comes from the earth. This points to a great nation rising out of a sparsely inhabited area.

Revelation 13:11 “I saw another beast coming out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb.”

Each word is very significant. The true Lamb of course is Jesus Christ. “Like a lamb,” indicates this nation would have lamb like or Christian features. A lamb is a young animal, a baby sheep. Thus this nation would at one time be youthful and new. Significantly, its “two horns” have no crowns like the first beast in Revelation 13:2. Crowns represent kingly power. Thus we have a new nation, with Christian features, rising out of a sparsely inhabited area, with a government without kingly power. We also know what time this occurred. You will note that this second beast of Revelation that comes out of the earth rises after the first beast of Revelation receives the deadly head wound which occurred in 1798.

Revelation 13:3, 12 “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast… 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.”

The Papal Church rose to power in 538 A.D. The Bible informs us they would have un-interrupted power for 1260 dark years which brings us to 1798. Precisely on time as prophesied, in 1798 Napoleon sent his General Berthier down to Rome to kidnap the Pope and exiled and imprisoned him in France. In 1799 the Pope became ill and died. This was the deadly head wound. For a little while there was no head of the Roman Catholic Church. The Encyclopedia Americana, 1941 edition says:

“In 1798 he (Berthier) made his entrance into Rome, ABOLISHED THE PAPAL GOVERNMENT and established a secular one.”

So what nation was starting out in the late 1700’s? Are the pieces starting to come together yet?

Revelation 12 also reveals information as to the identity of the second beast. Remember that this passage is symbolic and that a Church is represented as woman frequently in the Bible as the Church is the bride of Christ. The period of time described in this passage is the same 1260 dark Papal years of persecution where God’s true Church had to flea into the wilderness to survive. See also chapter 11 on Revelation Bible Study for more regarding this time period. A time is 1 year, times is 2 years and half a time is .5 of a year. This totals 3.5 years, which is 42 months and of course is the same period of time as the first beast of Revelation 13 being the same power. See also “Until a time and times and the dividing of time” previously from Adam Clarke's Commentary on Daniel 7:25.

Revelation 13:5-7 “And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”

So Revelation 12 reveals Satan pursuing God’s true Church, through the Papacy, into the wilderness for 1260 dark years to avoid the murderous persecution of the Papal Church, but the “earth” (referring to the beast from the earth) opens up a refuge for those fleeing the persecution. Thus what we have is a nation that greatly began with people that were fleeing from the Papal persecution. What nation did these Protestants flea to and make a declaration that Church and state should never again be combined?

Revelation 12:14-16 “And to the woman [Church] were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, [42 months] from the face of the serpent. [Satan] 15 And the serpent [Satan] cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman [Church], that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood [persecution]. 16 And the earth [unpopulated area] helped the woman [Church], and the earth opened her mouth, [a nation provided a place of refuge for those fleeing persecution] and swallowed up the flood [persecution] which the dragon [Satan] cast out of his mouth.” Parenthesis added.

Revelation 13 also reveals that this exact nation will finally achieve superpower status during the last moments of time, make a major mistake, and lead out in the global enforcement of 666 and the mark of the beast. See also the what is mark of the beast or 666 and the number of the beast for the origins of the number 666. God’s Word reports:

Revelation 13:16-17 “And he [the lamb-like beast] causes [he resorts to force] all [his power becomes global], both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand or in their forehead, that no man might buy or sell [the world’s economy is involved] except the one who has the mark.”

And finally the above two verses parallel the last part of Revelation 13:11 describing the final, tragic act of the lamb like beast, “he spoke like a dragon.”

Now let's recap Revelation 13 revealing the identity of both the first and the second beast.

Revelation 13:1-10 These six points reveal that the Antichrist leopard like beast represents the Roman Church:

1. Revelation 13:1—Antichrist rises from the sea (from a populated area. Revelation 17:15).
2. Revelation 13:2—Antichrist receives the SEAT of its government from pagan Rome.
3. Revelation 13:5—Antichrist blasphemously claims the POWER of God (Luke 5:20-21).
4. Revelation 13:7—Antichrist PERSECUTES the saints (believers).
5. Revelation 13:5—Antichrist reigns supreme for 42 months = 1,260 prophetic days or 1260 literal years (from 538 to 1798).
6. Revelation 13:18—Antichrist is identified with the mysterious number 666.

Revelation 13:10 The second beast arises at the SAME TIME the first beast goes into captivity, or around 1798. It is a separate power.

Revelation 13:11 The second beast rises rapidly from an UNPOPULATED area, “the earth.”

Revelation 13:11 The second beast has two horns with NO CROWNS. It has no king. It is not an autocratic dictatorship but a DEMOCRACY, saying to the people that “they” should make an image to the first beast. (Revelation 13:14)

Revelation 13:11 The second beast is a young beast, a youthful power, full of freedom and innocence, a NEW nation. (Remember a beast represents a nation (kingdom). Daniel 7:17; 7:23) In this prophecy:

1. A NEW nation arises
2. Around 1798
3. In an UNPOPULATED area
4. Without kingly authority
5. Governed by the people. It has the lamb like quality of Jesus, allowing its people freedom of choice.
6. The ONLY nation that fits ALL these prophetic specifications is the UNITED STATES.

Revelation 13:11-12 The features of the lamb-like beast rapidly turn into a DRAGON. Religious liberty is followed by religious oppression.

Revelation 13:12 The second beast, the UNITED STATES, gives its influence to the first beast, the Papacy, and becomes the enforcer nation with a UNION of Church and state.

Revelation 13:12 The central issue in the final conflict is “WORSHIP.” (See Revelation 14:7-12) The Sabbath is God’s eternal SIGN of true worship of Him as CREATOR.

Revelation 13:13-14 Satan will use MIRACULOUS SIGNS and WONDERS at a time of international crisis to forge a UNION of Church and state which will violently oppose and oppress God’s people. (See Revelation 16:14 and 2 Thessalonians 2:9)

Revelation 12:17 God’s faithful people will not yield to the coercive pressure to violate God’s law.

So examine all the relevant pieces of information again in brief:

1) Revelation 13:11 predicts the rising of a great beast
2) In prophecy, a beast represents a great nation
3) This nation comes out of the earth, or wilderness area
4) This nation starts out young, like a baby lamb
5) This nation is lamb like, with Christian characteristics
6) This nation grows to power when the first beast receives a deadly wound
7) This nation becomes a refuge for many Protestants fleeing Papal persecution
8) This nation has horns with no crowns, it has no kings
9) This nation achieves superpower status near the end of time
10) This nation influences the world’s economy
11) This nation finally speaks like a dragon
12) This nation finally enforces the mark of the first beast in Revelation 13:2

Now how many nations on Planet Earth fit each of these clear, unquestionable, Heaven inspired details?

There is only one.

The United States of America!

Do we ever see any evidence that America and the Papal Church are close? Did an American President once bow down before a dead Pope? This is a very distressing topic and not one I am prepared to go into, but an internet search on secret societies, freemasonry and Jesuits reveals some shocking information. You may also like to watch some free online material on secret societies and other related topics. Here is a link to page three from the series Total Onslaught that you may like to start with. For more on this topic you will find one called Two Beasts Become Friends.

God has very much blessed America. Yet Bible prophecy predicts major changes will someday envelop the beloved country of America and our eyes should be wide open to even now discern the proverbial writing on the wall. May the Lord Jesus Christ prepare you for future events. Above all, may we each have a strong relationship with the true Lamb, Jesus Christ our Lord and reject the voice of the dragon.

The False Prophet

Many Christians today are also asking who is the False Prophet described in the book of Revelation. It is in fact the same power or what is also known as Apostate Protestantism or the second beast of Revelation 13 in the role of America in making an image to the beast etc.

We are not going to go into major detail here but here are some scriptures that make this apparent. Parentheses are added for clarity.

Revelation 13:11-15 “And I beheld another [SECOND] beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon. 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the [FIRST] beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the [FIRST] beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the [FIRST] beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the [FIRST] beast should be killed.”

Note in the above passage that the second beast is said to perform “great wonders” that deceives “by the means of the miracles” that it did “in the sight of the [first] beast.” Now take note in the scripture below that the false prophet that deceived them by her miracles as described in the above verse, being the second beast (America), is the same entity. So the false prophet is the second beast that did “miracles before him” or in other words, did miracles “in the sight of the [first] beast” as described in the passage above.

Revelation 19:20 “And the [FIRST] beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.”

There is much more that verifies the false prophet is the United States of America and apostate Protestantism but these verses are more than adequate proof. Please read this verse by verse Bible commentary on Revelation Bible Prophecy for more information.