People talk about the Antichrist like he shows up everywhere, all at once, right at the start. But what if the Bible is far more careful than that? What if the real question isn’t who the Antichrist is, but when does the Antichrist appear in the story Scripture actually tells?
Pastor Nelson Walters slows everything down and does something many skip. He reads the text closely. Not emotionally. Not speculatively. Just carefully. And what he finds may surprise you.
Start With the Timeline, Not the Fear
Nelson begins by reminding viewers of the groundwork already laid in this teaching series. Jesus, in Matthew 24, places tribulation before divine intervention. Revelation chapters 6 and 7 follow the same structure. Scripture clearly separates tribulation from God’s wrath, placing wrath later.
That matters because many people blend everything together. When that happens, the Antichrist gets dropped into passages where the Bible never mentions him.
So the question becomes simple but uncomfortable. Where does Scripture actually introduce this figure?
The Word “Antichrist” Isn’t Where You Think
One of the biggest surprises comes early. The word Antichrist only appears in 1 John and 2 John.
Not Matthew 24. Not Revelation 6 or 7. Not the seals. Not the trumpets.
When John uses the term, he speaks of many antichrists and a spirit of antichrist. He’s describing deception, often from within the faith community. Not outlining a global ruler.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t a final opponent. It means the Bible uses different names for him.
Four Biblical Figures We Often Merge Together
Nelson explains that what people casually call “the Antichrist” is really a blend of four figures:
- The Beast – Introduced in Revelation 13. A ruling power empowered by Satan.
- The False Prophet – Also in Revelation 13. Enforces worship and the mark.
- The Man of Lawlessness – Found in 2 Thessalonians 2. Revealed at a specific time.
- The Little Horn – Described in Daniel 7. Arrogant, persecuting, and temporary.
Scripture does not compress these into one paragraph or introduce them all at once. We usually do that. The Bible does not.
Where the Antichrist Does Not Appear
This is one of the most important observations.
The beast is not named in:
- Matthew 24
- Revelation 6 (the seals)
- Revelation 7 (the gathering of the elect)
- Revelation 8 (the trumpets)
That silence matters. If Revelation delays introducing the beast, we should too.
The beast is introduced clearly in Revelation 13, where he is given authority for 42 months. That is the only explicit timeframe given.
Daniel Shows the Order Clearly
To understand timing, Nelson turns to Daniel 7.
Daniel sees:
- A beastly kingdom arise
- Ten horns (ten kings) emerge
- Then a little horn appears
The little horn does not rise first. He comes later, after power is already established.
This figure persecutes the saints and speaks against God. He rules for “time, times, and half a time,” about three and a half years. That matches Revelation’s 42 months.
So both Daniel and Revelation agree. This figure does not dominate from the beginning.
What About the Abomination of Desolation?
Many assume this is when the Antichrist is revealed. Nelson urges caution.
Jesus points readers back to Daniel, but Daniel never presents the abomination as faceless. It is tied to a ruler.
Daniel 8, 9, 11, and 12 all place this act at the midpoint. Three and a half years before the end.
The timing aligns well. But Scripture stops short of explicitly saying, this is the unveiling moment.
That distinction matters.
Paul Confirms the Sequence, Not the Marker
In 2 Thessalonians 2, Paul says the man of lawlessness is restrained, then revealed, then destroyed. But Paul does not tie that revealing to a specific event like the abomination.
He gives sequence, not a timestamp.
Again, Scripture limits how certain we can be.
Why This Actually Matters
This isn’t academic nitpicking. It’s pastoral.
If the Antichrist appears later, then fear-driven urgency gets misplaced. Believers are told to watch, but to watch in order.
Ten kings come first. Then the revealing. Then authority for a limited time.
Scripture warns us, but it also steadies us. It gives structure so fear doesn’t run the show.
And that’s the heart of this teaching. Read carefully. Watch the sequence. Let the Bible speak before anxiety does.
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