Prophecy Pros podcasters: Stop trying to ‘pin the tail on the Antichrist’
When it comes to the End Times, what does the Bible really say?
Jeff Kinley and Todd Hampson, authors and hosts of the "Prophecy Pros Podcast," addressed myths and different views Christians have about the rapture, tribulation, the Antichrist and Armageddon — a go-to word that's now frequently used by secularists to describe a multitude of catastrophic events — during the first episode of their podcast's ninth season, titled "Prophecy Myths Busted."
“One myth that we see happen every year with every world leader is people try to play pin the tail on the Antichrist. So, the myth question is, is there any way that we'll know who the Antichrist is before the rapture?’” asked Hampson, an author, illustrator and animation producer.
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The Antichrist, when he comes on the scene, will portray himself as "a great peacemaker," a "charismatic leader, a great speaker" who can "bring reconciliation between nations," said Kinley, a bestselling author and speaker, citing 2 Thessalonians 2 and specifically 2:6, which explains when the Antichrist will be revealed.
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Kinley stressed that Christians won't know who he'll be because they will have already been raptured. "Unless you've been left behind, you're not going to know who the Antichrist is. And so, you don't really want to know who the Antichrist is.”
While the Bible mentions the Antichrist in over 100 passages, it does not tell believers to search for him or attempt to identify him. "But we are told to look for the blessed hope. ... We look for the Christ, not the Antichrist," added Kinley, who co-wrote with Hampson The Illustrated Guide to Tough Questions About the End Times.
“People often equate evil leaders as trying to play the pin the tail on the donkey with them as the Antichrist," Hampson said. "He's going to come on the scene as a person of peace. The first seal judgment is mimicking Christ. He's on a white horse. He doesn't have any weapons. He's going to look like a nice guy.”
The Antichrist will come at a time when there will be many forms of deception unleashed on Earth, Hampson added, citing Matthew 24:24 which states: "For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect."
After the rapture, there will be a time when there are no believers on the Earth. But then, Hampson said, “I think a bunch of people will realize, ‘Oh, that rapture thing was real. Those Christians weren't that crazy, after all.’ And they will come to Christ.
"But I think it's going to be a time of great deception. It's not going to be clear. If it was easy and clear to know that this evil person is rising on the scene that sticks out like a sore thumb. The enemy is a lot more crafty than that. And that lines up with everything that the Antichrist will embody, that he'll come as an angel of light, he'll look good, he'll look great. So all those things line up to bust that myth.”
Kinley also cautioned believers not to listen to voices who claim to know who the Antichrist is, even if the person making that claim is also a Christian.
“Be very wary of anyone who just starts to go down that path. They may say: ‘Now, I'm not going to say who the Antichrist is, but …' And then, they'll start talking about this leader or this former president or whatever, or this global elite and stuff,” Kinley warned. “It's really just kind of useless chatter, to be honest.
"Now, the Bible does want us to know about Antichrist and recognize the spirit of Antichrist. And that we should know what happens during the time of the Antichrist. Because there are over 100 passages in the Scripture talking about him. But as far as identifying him, I don't think it's going to happen, according to Scripture, until we are taken away.”
Other myths that Kinley and Hampson addressed surround beliefs about the battle of Armageddon, even in secular culture, and people searching for hidden meanings in prophecy which can lead to misinterpretations of Scripture.
“I think one of the biggest issues that people face when they get into Bible prophecy is, for some reason, they think they're supposed to look for a hidden meaning. They're supposed to look for some secret interpretation. But that's not how the Bible is written. The Bible is written in plain language,” Kinley said.
“The golden rule of interpretation that we've used many times is: ‘When the plain sense makes sense, seek no other sense, lest you end up with nonsense.’”
Nicole Alcindor is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: [email protected].
