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Revelations 13:18 is John speaking there, not Jesus. Also, the verse doesn't say to watch anything or for anyone. As I suggested above, it very likely references Gospel of John 6:66 -- the anti-Christ being those who reject Christ by refusing to eat his body (e.g., refusing the Real Presence in the Eucharist).

But Jesus does have something to say on this topic, in Mark 13:
Here he tells us to watch not for the anti-Christ, but for the coming of the Lord, our Messiah. But no one, not even the angels, will know when He is coming -- which obviously means the Second Coming cannot be predicted in advance. "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven..."; "ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockrowing, or in the morning."

What are we to do? Pray, imitate Christ, keep our eye on Him, not knowing when He will come, which therefore could be anytime. Maybe even in the next heartbeat. We never know.

Oh, come on! You’re smarter than that. Christ did not take prophecy as allegory. Neither should we. The antichrist is referred to multiple times as a him. There are also antichrists in the world. Still, they do not negate the one.

As to John’s writing, he said so under the inspiration of Christ in a vision from Christ.

More from John:
1 John 2:18
Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

Paul, under the authority of Christ said:
2 Thessalonians 2:2-4

And Jesus referred to the image of the Antichrist here
Matthew 24:15
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
and
Here
Mark 13:14
But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:

2That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

3Let 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;

4Who 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.

That we are to read and understand this is also part of the commands of the Christ, though Mark and Matthew likely wrote the parenthetical note.

There are certain things that have to take place before He comes and we are told to be watchmen and to be aware of the happenings as they occur. I would especially be aware of what’s going on in Israel, since that’s the lynchpin of prophecy concerning the End Times. We are not to fear these and we are to keep our eyes fastened on Jesus our Messiah.