A Preterist Book on the Antichrist is Coming

By Duncan McKenzie, Ph.D. (Duncan@peoplepc.com)
2002

Duncan McKenzie Study Archive | The Covenant Judgments of Revelation | The Antichrist Chronicles: vol. II | J.S. Russell's Position on the Millennium, the Neglected Third Way of Preterism | A New Preterist Perspective | Was All The Prophecy in the Bible Fulfilled by A.D.70? | Revelation: The Book of Fulfillment of the Covenant Curses of Leviticus and Deuteronomy | Babylon in Not Jerusalem | Premillennial Preterism | The Serious Error of the Literal Hermeneutic in the Interpretation of the Book of Revelation | A Preterist Book on the Antichrist is Coming | Revelation Chapter 12

When preterists hear the word “Antichrist” many are quick to point out there is no such thing as an individual tyrant known as the Antichrist.  I am finishing a book that will show there was indeed an individual Antichrist.  The book is 520 pages (double spaced, I imagine it will be somewhat less in book form) the tentative title is The Antichrist and the Second Coming (by the way I haven’t settled on a final publisher if there are any out there who are interested).  The book examines the portions of Scripture that show the Second Coming and the opponent of Jesus (the Antichrist) that is destroyed by that Coming (i.e. The little horn, Dan. 7:7-11, 21-22.  The king of the North, Dan. 11:36-12:45.  The man of lawlessness, 2 Thess. 2:8.  The Antichrist, 1 John 2:18.  The beast, Rev. 19:19-20).  I am keeping my candidate under wraps until the book comes out (in about 6 months) but he is not Nero.

Looking at Scripture, the beast of Revelation, the little horn of Dan. 7, the king of the North of Dan. 11:36-45, and the man of lawlessness are all speaking about the same opponent of Jesus (the Antichrist) that is destroyed by the AD 70 Second Coming.  Revelation 19:11-21 shows the Second Coming of Jesus.  It is at this time that He destroys the beast (Rev. 19:20).  This destruction of the beast at the Second Coming is shown in Daniel chapter 7 where the little eleventh horn is destroyed by the Coming of God (in the person of Jesus) as He establishes His Kingdom (Dan. 7:7-11, 19-22).  Notice that three rulers are removed before the little eleventh horn making him an eighth ruler (Dan. 7:7-8); this is what the individual beast of Revelation is, an eighth ruler (Rev. 17:9-11; for more connections between the little horn and the beast compare Rev. 13:5 with Dan. 7:25 and Rev. 13:7 with Dan. 7:21-22).

In Daniel chapters 11 and 12 the Second Coming is not explicitly shown but events connected with the Second Coming (i.e. the great tribulation, Dan. 12:1; cf. Matt. 24:21, the resurrection and judgment, Dan. 12:2; cf. Matt. 25:31-32, and the abomination of desolation Dan. 12:11; cf. Matt. 24:15) are shown as happening at the time that the king of the North of Daniel 11:36-45 is destroyed.  Notice that Daniel 12 shows the great tribulation, the abomination of desolation and the resurrection and judgment as all happening around the same time (not separated by thousands of years as partial preterists say).  It was not just the great tribulation that was to happen in AD 70, according to the book of Daniel the resurrection and judgment were also to happen at that time (this takes the wind out of the sails of those who say that Matthew chapters 24-25 are talking about two different Parousias that are separated by thousands of years).  All these events were to happen at the time that the power of Daniel’s people was completely shattered (the AD 70 shattering of Israel, Dan. 12:7).

The destruction of the Antichrist is shown again in 2 Thessalonians where Paul said that the man of lawlessness would be consumed by the breath of Jesus' mouth at His Second Coming (2 Thess. 2:8).  Notice that in 2 Thess 2:4 Paul is making reference to the king of the North (Dan. 11:36-37).  Revelation 19:11-21 shows this destruction of the Antichrist that Paul talked about in 2 Thess 2:8 as it shows Jesus destroying the beast with the sword that comes out of His mouth.  The individual beast of Revelation (note, the beast sometimes represents a group of rulers and sometimes represents an especially power member of that group, cf. Rev. 17:9-11) is the same as the little horn of Dan. 7 (again, compare Rev. 13:5 with Dan. 7:25; compare Rev. 13:7 with Dan. 7:21-22).  And so the cycle begins again.  I guess one could try and find four different opponents of Christ that are destroyed by the Second Coming but I show the AD 70 fulfillment of all four (the little horn of Dan. 7, the king of the North of Dan. 11:36-45, the man of lawlessness and the individual beast) in one man.

This brings me to the famous verse about the Antichrist in 1 John.  There is not much written in Scripture about the Antichrist (at least using the term Antichrist), just that he was to come at the last hour right before the Second Coming.  The following is 1 John 2:18 with my commentary in brackets.

1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last hour [i.e. it is the end of the old covenant age, the Second Coming is about to happen] and you have [correctly] heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour [and hence the Second Coming when Jesus will destroy the Antichrist is about to happen].

John was telling his audience that the Second Coming was near and the Antichrist (the opponent of Jesus who is destroyed by the Second Coming) was about to come.  The appearance of antichrists (those who deny the Father and Son 1 John 2:22-23) was an indication that the Antichrist was about to come.

My book is basically a commentary on Daniel chapters 2, 7, 11:36-12:13; 2 Thessalonians 2; and Revelation chapters 13, 17, 18, and 19-22.  Many of these sections of Scripture preterists have not adequately dealt with (especially Daniel 2, 7, and 11:36-12:13).  Daniel chapter 7 is especially important.  It gives specifics for when the millennium began (at the destruction of the little eleventh horn, Dan. 7:7-10).  The ramifications of this for full preterism are enormous.  If the beginning of the millennium is what destroys the little horn and the little horn is the same as the individual beast (who fights against Jesus at the AD 70 Second Coming) then it means that the millennium began at AD 70 (as that is when the little horn/beast is destroyed.  This supports J.S. Russell's position that the Second Coming happened at the beginning of the millennium not at its end, (full preterism has taught that AD 70 was the end of the millennium; see my article “Premillennial Preterism”).  Again, if you look at Dan. 7:7-11, it is the beginning of the millennium (compare Dan. 7:9 with Rev. 20:4) at the Second Coming (Dan. 7:21-22) that destroys the eleventh little horn of Daniel's fourth beast.  In my book I explain the specifics of the little horn (i.e. Dan. 7:23-26) and how they are fulfilled in an AD 70 person.  Those who want to say the millennium began at AD 30 have to show an AD 30 person who fits the specifics of Dan. 7:23-26.  In Daniel 7 the eleventh little horn became an eighth horn (ruler) when three horns were removed before him (Dan. 7:23-24); this is how the Antichrist (the individual beast) is seen in Revelation, as an eighth ruler (Rev. 17:11).  In Daniel 7, Daniel’s fourth beast is destroyed in the fire and then the millennium begins (Dan. 7:9-11).  This corresponds to the beast of Revelation being thrown in the lake of fire and then the millennium begins (Rev. 19:20-20:4).  This shows that there is no recapitulation (back to AD 30) at Revelation chapter 20; it is the beginning of the millennium in AD 70 (at Jesus' Second Coming) that destroys the individual beast/little horn.

Again, those who want to start the millennium at AD 30 would have to come up with an AD 30 little horn/beast, this can’t be done.  That the millennium begins at the AD 70 destruction of the beast explains why those who come alive for the millennium had not taken the mark of the beast

Rev. 20:4

And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them.  Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the world of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands.  And they live and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. emphasis added

The mark of the beast and the worship of his image is spoken of in Revelation 13:11-18; it was one of the things that were about to happen when Revelation was written (c. AD 65).  By the way the mark of the beast was the mark of a certain man (Rev. 13:18) not just the Roman Empire in general.  To start the millennium at AD 30 one has to come up with a pre AD 30 individual beast and a pre AD 30 mark of the beast; this just doesn't fit.  The individual beast was an AD 70 person (he fights against Jesus at the Second Coming Rev. 19:11-21) the mark of the beast was to happen right before AD 70 not AD 30.  I go into detail on all this in my book.

If the millennium began at AD 70 then that means that the all prophecy fulfilled by AD 70 foundation of full preterism is in error.  As I said, my book supports J.S. Russell’s position (that AD 70 was the time of the one and only Second Coming as well as the time of the resurrection and judgment).  Russell departs from full preterism (or more accurately full preterism departed from Russell in the early 1970’s) in that Russell saw AD 70 as the beginning of the millennium not the end.  As I said my book will support the AD 70 beginning of the millennium (I use the book of Daniel to do this, a book that preterists, including Russell, haven’t done much with).  Again the millennium begins at the destruction of the little horn of Daniel 7 (Dan. 7:7-11).  Full preterists say they are sure the millennium began at AD 30 and yet I have never heard one of them who can give a convincing explanation of who the little horn of Daniel 7 was; ask the full preterist leaders if they have an answer on Dan. 7’s little horn (i.e. an explanation of the specifics of Dan. 7:23-26.

My book should be out in about 6 months; it should fill in some of the gaps that have existed in preterism (by providing a foundation from the book of Daniel).

Duncan McKenzie, Ph.D.

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Date: 20 Mar 2009
Time: 20:44:30

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First off I think the term from Solomon applies there is nothin new under the sun and the like idiom all of our history teachers once taught that history repeats itself. Within the NT we are told the OT contains types and figures we are to follow to say that AD 70 was the fill all tell all simply isn't true so much of the prophecies have yet to be fulfilled concerning the Day of the Lord. It stands to reason that upon the first appearing of Yeshua Our Messiah the tribe of Judah or for the sake of taxing the mind at least a portion of them were present and accounted for (military term) likewise it stands to reason on the Second coming elements from Judah are once again in Israel ( at least what we call the land of) The Son of perdition (notice it is singular) has yet to appear and is to be destroyed upon Yeshuas return that has'nt happened yet either. In the bible I see only one instance of anyone judged (singulary) and awaiting execution save the King of Babylon in Ezek 28 (i.e. referencing Satan) so this one and the one previously mentioned in Ezek must be the son of perdition ( that is to say the son to be destroyed) Likewise lets not be to hasty on a temple being present in Jerusalem because the temple today is not made with mens hands i.e. it is none other than the assembly of believers in Christ ( that is to say true Israel) Christian Identity I think misses this point also those whom want so eagerly to attach themselves to Judah( judaism which currently fits Johns description of Anti Christs)I am not so high on Dispensationalism I see in the scriptures no two plans of salvation but one plan and according to my deciphering of the Pauline epistles what we call the body of Christ is true Israel and only references are concerning a remnant of Israel is to be saved ( that is the physical Israel where ever they may be inhabited) Concerning verse 21 yes that is no doubt the beginning prophecies concerning the same Son of Perdition Paul is mentioning in 2 Thess 2 why so many theologians like to skip over t!
o verse 36 is beyound my understanding (unless they are teaching the myth of a pre tribulation rapture) Today the statement in Amos chap 8 concerning the famine of the end times is sure taking place. I think one problem lies with the book Revelation and its interpretation I think the mix-up occurs with over looking the key verse to the whole book that is to say verse 1:10 My thoughts along those lines are I don't John is referring to Sunday or to a Sabbath day but is directly referring to the point that in the spirit he was brought forward to the day of the Lord and the events leading up to the return of Yeshua is contained therein not centuries and surely not the first century. Also the very facts occurring all around us today the decline of morality, the Balaam preachers, strange weather patterns and natural disasters, the economic crisis, the religous wars currently being raised by Islam, the waverness and corruption of the worlds leaders,the ugly greediness of the rich, poor and all is alarming it is slapping us all in the face and I feel telling us we are approaching the final days before the tribulation, wrath and second coming of Our Lord Yeshua. The signs of the times are upon us I think it is time to put aside mans doctrines and focus on YHWY for the days are getting darker nuff said just thought to add my two cents worth and feelings etc.