Читать книгу The Antichrist - A.W. Pink - Страница 7

That Satan will have a son ought not to surprise us. The Devil is a consummate imitator and much of his success in deceiving men is due to his marvelous skill in counterfeiting the things of God. Below we give a list of some of his imitations: —

Do we read of Christ going forth to sow the "good seed" (Matthew 13:24), then we also read of the enemy going forth to sow his "tares"—an imitation wheat (Matthew 13:25). Do we read of "the children of God," then we also read of "the children of the wicked one" (Matthew 13:38). Do we read of God working in His children "both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13), then we are also told that the Prince of the power of the air is "the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Eph. 2:2). Do we read of the Gospel of God, then we also read that Satan has a gospel—"Another gospel, which is not another" (Gal. 1:6,7). Did Christ appoint "apostles," then Satan has his apostles too (2 Cor. 11:13). Are we told that "the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God" (1 Cor. 2:10), then Satan also provides his "deep things" (see Greek of Revelation 2:24). Are we told that God, by His angel, will "seal" His servants in their foreheads (Rev. 8:3), so also we read that Satan, by his angels, will set a mark in the foreheads of his devotees (Rev. 13:16). Does the Father seek "worshippers" (John 4:23), so also does Satan (Rev. 13:4). Did Christ quote scripture, so also did Satan (Matthew 4:6). Is Christ the Light of the world, then Satan also is transformed as an "angel of light" (2 Cor. 11:14). Is Christ denominated "the Lion of the tribe of Judah" (Rev. 5:5), then the Devil is also referred to as "a roaring lion" (1 Pet. 5:6). Do we read of Christ and "His angels" (Matthew 24:31), then we also read of the Devil and "his angels" (Matthew 25:41). Did Christ work miracles, so also will Satan (2 Thess. 2:9). Is Christ seated upon a "Throne," so also will Satan be (Rev. 2:13, Gk.). Has Christ a Church, then Satan has his "synagogue" (Rev. 2:9). Has Christ a "bride," then Satan has his "whore" (Rev. 17:16). Has God His "Vine," so has Satan (Rev. 14:19). Does God have a city, the new Jerusalem, then Satan has a city, Babylon (Rev. 17:5; 18:2). Is there a "mystery of godliness" (1 Tim. 3:16), so also there is a "mystery of iniquity" (2 Thess. 2:7). Does God have an only-begotten Son, so we read of "the Son of Perdition" (2 Thess. 2:3). Is Christ called "the Seed of the woman," then the Antichrist will be "the seed of the serpent" (Gen. 3:15). Is the Son of God also the Son of Man, then the son of Satan will also be the "Man of Sin" (2 Thess. 2:3).

Is there a Holy Trinity, then there is also an Evil Trinity (Rev. 20:10). In this Trinity of Evil Satan himself is supreme, just as in the Blessed Trinity the Father is (governmentally) supreme: note that Satan is several times referred to as a father (John 8:44, etc.). Unto his son, the Antichrist, Satan gives his authority and power to represent and act for him (Rev. 13:4) just as God the Son received "all power in heaven and earth" from His Father, and uses it for His glory. The Dragon (Satan) and the Beast (Antichrist) are accompanied by a third, the False Prophet, and just as the third person in the Holy Trinity, the Spirit, bears witness to the person and work of Christ and glorifies Him, so shall the third person in the Evil Trinity bear witness to the person and work of the Antichrist and glorify him (see Rev. 13:11-14).

Now the Antichrist will be a man, and yet more than man, just as Christ was Man and yet more than man. The Antichrist will be the 'Superman' of whom the world, even now, is talking, and for whom it is looking. The Wicked One who is to be revealed shortly, will be a supernatural character, he will be the Son of Satan. His twofold nature is plainly declared in 2 Thessalonians 2:3—"That man of Sin, the Son of Perdition." In proof of these assertions we ask for a careful attention to what follows.

1. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy Seed and her Seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. 3:15). It is to be noted that there is here a double "enmity" spoken of: God says, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman," that is, between Satan and Israel, for Israel was the woman that bore Christ (Rev. 12); "And between thy seed and her seed." Observe particularly that two "seeds" are here spoken of; "Thy seed" (the antecedent is plainly the Serpent) and "her seed," the woman's Seed. The woman's Seed was Christ, the Serpent's seed will be the Antichrist. The Antichrist then, will be more than a man, he will be the actual and literal Seed of that old Serpent, the Devil; as Christ was, according to the flesh, the actual and literal Seed of the woman. "Thy seed," Satan's seed, refers to aspecific individual, just as "her seed" refers to a specific Individual.

2. "In that day the Lord with His sore and great and strong sword shall punish Leviathan the piercing Serpent, even Leviathan that crooked Serpent; and he shall slay the Dragon that is in the sea (Isa. 27:1). To appreciate the force of this we need to attend to the context, which is unfortunately broken by the chapter division. In the closing verses of Isaiah 26 we hear God saying, "Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be over past" (Isa. 26:20). These words are addressed to the elect remnant of Israel. Their ultimate application will be to those on earth at the end of this Age, for it is the time of God's "indignation" (cf. Daniel 8:19 and 11:36). It is the time when "the Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth, for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain" (Isa. 26:21)—notice "iniquity," singular number, not "iniquities." It is their worshipping of Satan's Man which is specifically referred to. Then, immediately following we read, "In that day the Lord...shall punish Leviathan the piercing Serpent." The connection, then, makes it plain that it is just before the Millennium when God shall punish the Crooked Serpent, the Antichrist. Now the very fact that the Wicked One is here denominated "the piercing and crooked Serpent" hints strongly that he will be the son of "that old Serpent, the Devil."

3. In the first two sections of Ezekiel 28 two remarkable characters are brought before us. The second who is described in vv. 12-19 has received considerable attention from Bible students of the last two generations, and since the late Mr. G. H. Pember pointed out that what is there said of "the king of Tyrus" could be true of no earthly king or mere human being, and must outline a character that none but Satan himself (before his fall) could fill this view has been adopted by most of the leading Bible teachers. But little attention has been paid to the character described in the first ten verses of this chapter.

Now just as what is said in Ezekiel 28 of "the king of Tyrus" can only apply fully to Satan himself, so, what is said of "the prince of Tyrus" manifestly has reference to the Antichrist. The parallelisms between what is said here and what we find in other scriptures which describe the Son of Perdition are so numerous and so evident, that we are obliged to conclude that it is the same person which is here contemplated. We cannot now attempt anything like a complete exposition of the whole passage (though we hope to give one later) but will just call attention to some of the outstanding marks of identification:

First, the Lord God says to this personage, "Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said I am a god, I sit in the seat of God"—cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:4. Second, "Behold thou art wiser than Daniel"—cf. Daniel 8:23, and 7:8, "Behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of men, and a mouth speaking great things," which intimates that the Antichrist will be possessed of extraordinary intelligence. Third, it is said of this character, "With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures" 9v. 4- cf. Psalm 52:7; Daniel 11:38).

Sufficient has been said, we trust, to show that under the figure of this "prince of Tyrus" we may discern clearly the unmistakable features of the coming Antichrist. But the particular point we would make here, is this, that as Satan is termed "the king of Tyre," in the second section of this chapter the Antichrist is referred to as "the prince of Tyre." Antichrist, then, is related to Satan as "prince" is to "king," that is, as son is to the father.

4. In Matthew 12:43 the Antichrist is called "The Unclean Spirit," not merely an unclean spirit, but "the Unclean Spirit." We cannot now stop and submit the evidence that it is the Antichrist who is here in view, for this is another passage which we will consider carefully in a later chapter. But in the writer's mind there is no doubt whatever that none other than the Beast is here in view. If this be the case, then we have further evidence that the coming One will be no mere man indwelt by Satan, but a fallen angel, an evil spirit, the incarnation of the Devil.

5. "Ye are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of this own; for he is a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44). Here is still another proof that the Antichrist will be superhuman, the offspring of Satan. In the Greek there is the definite article before the word "lie"—the lie, "the Lie." There is another passage in the New Testament where "the Lie" is mentioned, namely in 2 Thessalonians 2:11, where again the definite article is found in the Greek, and there the reference is unmistakable.

A threefold reason may be suggested as to why the Antichrist should be termed "the Lie." First, because his fraudulent claim to be the real Christ will be the greatest falsehood palmed off upon humanity. Second, because he is the direct antithesis of the real Christ, who is "the Truth" (John 14:6). Third, because he is the son of Satan who is the arch liar. But to return to John 8:44; "When he (the Devil) speaketh (concerning) the Lie, he speaketh of his own." His "own" what? His "own" son—the remainder of the verse makes this very plain—"for he (the Devil) is a liar and the father of it," i.e. of "the Lie." The Lie then, is Satan's Son"!

6. "That day shall not come, except there come a falling away (the Apostasy) first, and that Man of Sin be revealed, the Son of Perdition" (2 Thess. 2:3). Nothing could be plainer than this. Here the Antichrist is expressly declared to be superhuman—"the Son of Perdition." Just as the Christ if the Son of God, so Antichrist will be the son of Satan. Just as the Christ dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and just as Christ could say "He that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father," so the Antichrist will be the full and final embodiment of the Devil. He will not only be the incarnation of the Devil, but the consummation of his wickedness and power.

7. In Revelation 13:1 (R. V.) we read, "And he (the Dragon—see context) stood upon the sand of the sea"—symbolic of taking possession of the Nations: "And I saw a Beast coming up out of the sea, having ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy." It is deeply significant to mark how these things are here linked together as cause and effect. The coming forth of the Beast (the Antichrist) is immediately connected with the Dragon! But this is not all. Notice the description that is here given of him: he has ten horns (fullness of power) and seven heads (complete wisdom)" and this is exactly how Satan himself is described in Revelation 12:3—"And behold, a great red Dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his heads names of blasphemy"! Does not a linking of these scriptures prove beyond all doubt that the Antichrist will be an exact replica of Satan himself! But one other thing, even more startling, remains to be considered, and that is,