A different Antichrist in the first half and second half
Revelation 11 was referring to the beast in the past, present, and future, meaning he previously reigned, but he died and in the future, he shall resurrect. His death, burial and resurrection, this is referring to the Antichrist here.
The beast is supposed to be referring to Satan but all of a sudden at verse 11 it says it’s the Antichrist, what’s the explanation? Again, the Antichrist is Satan incarnate, that’s why it will switch back and forth between Antichrist and Satan.
Revelation 17:11 “And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.”
He previously reigned.
He’s not existent, he’s dead.
What is going on here? Look at verse 11 again, ‘the beast that was’ refers to the past, ‘and is not’ refers to present, ‘even he is’ refers to the future.
‘was’ and ‘is not’: that’s his first half. Is the first Antichrist different from the second half Antichrist? Absolutely. In the first half, he comes down as the Antichrist, but in the second half, he comes in with the spirit of Judas Iscariot out of the bottomless pit. Judas Iscariot doesn’t come in the first half, he comes in at the second half as a different man.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”
Everyone who studies eschatology and end-times revelation agrees and knows this is the Antichrist in verses 3 and 4.
Judas Iscariot comes back during tribulation
John 17:12 “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.”
Jesus is talking about His 12 disciples here and he says every one of them is mine except one guy. We know that’s Judas Iscariot but Jesus doesn’t say Judas, He called him ‘son of perdition’.
That’s why he comes out as eighth.
Previously we’ve named the 7 heads, one of them being the Antichrist. Now the eighth is also the Antichrist. Notice that the verse specifically mentioned 7 here, so that’s the reason why this could work (the seventh and eighth head being the Antichrist).
The seventh head goes down to perdition and Judas Iscariot is down there as well. We already see the assimilation with the number 8.
Alexander the Great also comes back during tribulation
Now Dr. Ruckman teaches that the eighth head is going to be from the seven heads, and it’s Alexander the great. This is actually true, you’ll notice that the king of Grecia, Alexander the Great, rises up again in the tribulation.
Daniel 8:20-25 “The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power. And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.”
In verses 20-21, we know that Media and Persia were conquered, we already know that from Greece. The one who is predominant in the conquest was Alexander the Great, that’s why he’s referred to as that one who just knocked off all the empires.
In verse 22, we know that after Alexander the Great’s passing, there were four generals that were fighting for position and power. That’s why this verse says the first king’s kingdom is broken and four generals stood up for it but those four generals are not the same as Alexander the Great’s power.
In verse 23, ‘latter time’ refers to the tribulation wording.
In verses 23-25, doesn’t this sound like the Antichrist? He’s turning against the Jews, he comes in with peace but he destroys many, he’s magnified, he’s worshipped but God’s going to defeat him.
Hence there’s a saying that Alexander the Great will return.
How do so many antichrists fit into the Antichrist?
But now we’ve got a bigger problem here, who is the Antichrist with so many people fitting here? It’s not difficult to understand. See, it is the spirit of Judas Iscariot here, it is the spirit of Alexander the Great. Now, let’s add that up together, can many different demonic spirits fit in one body? Isn’t that an easy question that just provided an easy answer?
We do not teach this 100% but this is what we can allow as to the bridge combining Pastor Gene Kim’s point of view, Dr. Ruckman’s and everybody out there who says Nimrod will return as well: all seven heads are part of Satan incarnate so it is possible that all these spirits can combine into one within the Antichrist.
Now that is a fierce being that you don’t want to mess with and you only need the power of the Lord Jesus Christ to conquer this being, that’s how powerful this being is going to be.