Antichrist a Reincarnation?

My just-released novel, MICHAEL: Last-Days Lightning, which all too briefly, but nonetheless, thankfully, went to number one in Christian fiction on Amazon, has sparked the beginning of a follow-up novel. I’ve tentatively given the next novel the title MESSIAH: The Prince That Shall Come.

The story will build on the protagonist’s experiencing Bible prophecy fulfillment while in a state of having dreams and visions as the result of a serpent bite he received while he was on the Island of Patmos. MESSIAH will deal with Antichrist coming to power as the world’s greatest deceiver. This understanding is based upon Jesus’ words:

I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. (John 5:43)

Lord willing, the novel will be the third of the books that began with REVELATIONS: The Rapture Generation, in which Tyce Grayson received that snake bite.

The purpose of mentioning all of that—along with, of course, admittedly hoping to promote the novels—is that while researching for writing the third novel, I cogitated on some things about the Antichrist I’ve often wondered about over the years.

One of the primary things that has piqued my thinking—and imagination—is that there are two people in God’s Word who are given the title “son of perdition.”

British theologian Arthur W. Pink (1886–1952) more or less framed the idea that provided impetus for my thinking.

As we have seen, in John 17:12 Christ termed Judas “the Son of Perdition,” and 2 Thess.2:3 we find that the Antichrist is similarly designated—“That Man of Sin be revealed, the Son of Perdition.” These are the only two places in all the Bible where his name occurs, and the fact that Judas was termed by Christ not a “son of perdition,” but “the Son of Perdition,” and the fact that the Man of Sin is so named prove that they are one and the same person. What other conclusion can a simple and unprejudiced reader of the Bible come to? (from The Antichrist, by A. W. Pink, https://www.ccel.org/ccel/p/pink/antichrist/cache/antichrist.pdf)

Pink went on to write that he believed Antichrist, the son of perdition, will be a reincarnated individual. There isn’t sufficient space in this commentary to totally explain his thinking, but I recommend that you read at the link given above if you’re interested in why he believed this.

I can’t fully embrace this notion because of my bias against the belief in reincarnation by those held by Hindus in India and other places, and the fact that God’s Word says it is appointed unto man once to die, then comes the judgment.

That steels the notion against reincarnation in my mind, but leaves open the possibility for a return from the dead in the case of this one man—Judas Iscariot, who was apparently lost from the beginning, according to Jesus Himself in His prayer as recorded by John:

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. (John 17: 12)

I, nor anyone, can fully explain to my satisfaction why Judas went to “his own place” upon death, or why he was apparently instructed by Jesus to do what he was supposed to do at the Last Supper—i.e., go betray the Lord to the Judaizers and the Romans. We see these strange things in the following verses:

And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. (John 13: 27)

After Judas committed suicide, the disciples sought to replace him as the twelfth member of their group with one of two other men. They wanted the now resurrected and ascended Jesus to tell them what to do.

And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. (Acts 1:24–25)

We come then back to Arthur Pink’s statement that both Judas Iscariot and the one who will be Antichrist are called not “a” son of perdition, but “the” son of perdition. These are the only two who are so-designated as this evil individual.

Pink goes on, in depth, to point out that Judas was called by Jesus “devil.”

Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve. (John 6: 70–71)

This, Pink believed, meant that Judas was so possessed by a supernatural evil spirit–by Satan himself—that he was lost without chance of redemption. This certainly seems to be the case, considering the total context of what we know about Judas Iscariot and about salvation as given in God’s Word.

The key word in the matter seems to me to be the word “men.” Was Judas a “man” at the time of his accepting the sop given by Jesus,? Or was he something other?

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. (Hebrews 9: 27)

Yet Judas Iscariot died, by his own hand, and went to “his own place.” Still, he is “the son of perdition”—same as Antichrist’s designation. Not “a” son of perdition, but “the” son of perdition.

It is hardly necessary to say that in the Greek there are two different words for “Devil” and “demon.” There are many demons, but only one Devil. Further, in no other passage is the word “devil” applied to any one but to Satan himself. Judas then was the Devil incarnate, just as the Lord Jesus was God incarnate. Christ Himself said so, [as recorded in John 6:70–71] and we dare not doubt His word. (Ibid.)

Pink then refers to the following Scripture to round out his thinking on the matter of Judas Iscariot being one and the same as the future Antichrist—a reincarnation, of sorts.

The Beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the Bottomless Pit, and go into perdition. (Revelation 17:8)

He points out that most expositors of his time held that Revelation 17:11 referred to the final form of Rome as the last world empire over which Antichrist will rule. But his implication was that they denied that an actual being will come from the bottomless pit as that Antichrist character (verse 8). Pink maintains that it is Judas Iscariot in a reincarnation. But it is a supernatural man, indwelt by an evil spirit like no other.

In Matt.12:43 the Antichrist is called “The Unclean Spirit,” not merely an unclean spirit, but “the Unclean Spirit.”…

[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. (Ibid.)

I’m not at all sure about the term reincarnation in this case. There certainly is something profound connecting Judas Iscariot and the one who will be Antichrist, however. This “beast” will be wounded as unto death, then supposedly brought back to life at the midpoint of the Tribulation—another strange element to consider.

My own thinking revolves around the prophecy that foretells the first and second beasts of Revelation being thrown directly in the lake of fire. They apparently get no time of judgment before the Great White Throne as do men of the human sort. These are apparently already judged. This, to me, means they might not be or any longer have human, redeemable traits, so are summarily cast into that final place of the damned. Nephilim? I don’t know, but it’s interesting to contemplate.

Bottom line is that if you don’t know Jesus Christ for salvation of your soul, you will end up in the place where these two beings, the Antichrist and the False Prophet, will spend all of eternity.

Here’s how to avoid their fate as well as the fate of Satan, who will be the third being thrown into that place of eternal punishment.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9–10)

Who tempted Christ? What did Christ order him to do? Who gets tossed out of Heaven described in Revelation 12? Who was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of God? Who was the Serpent, that deceived Eve.. just a few questions the answers identifies who is going to be allowed to play act like he is Jesus.

I think in the case of the “son of perdition”, or a coming of the Beast who is indwelt with Satan, that it might be viewed as John the Baptist was said to be...that very Elijah that was said to “ have come and is coming again”. Not direct reincarnations of Judas and Elijah but rather certain
persons coming in “power and spirit”...in the former of course, Satan and in the latter, God himself.

You even believe in a rapture of the saints and the raising of the dead in Christ first only you are not pretrib about it you saw it as coming at the end of this present age,...you told me that yourself. Now don’t be wrapping together all “pre-end of the age” rapturists as believing in reincarnation of Judas as the beast...the idea of a pre “end of the age” pretrib rapture is a non sequitur to the notion of a reincarnated beast. Disagree with Darby...fine....but let’s not take cheap shots at all pretribbers over this nonsense.

There are many things that this current pope does that makes him suspect. Why is the “bent cross he carries to be considered a Luciferic cross? I’m not criticizing, just never have encountered that particular notion before. It always appeared to be somewhat of an overly artistic interpretation of Christ bowed down with the weight of the sins of the world as he hung there dying...but if I’m wrong, I’m wrong.

“Everybody else who’s headed there at least gets a spot at the Great White Throne Judgement.”

Which is interesting in and of itself. Current teachings suggest while Christians currently are spared that experience, that anyone who appears at the the great white throne like those who rebelled against God at the end of the thousand years or those who had died thru-out history without knowing Christ, will have no chance at reprieve. That at least has been the interpretational bias. How-ever that is not quite what the scriptures say. It says those not found in the Lamb’s Book of Life would be cast into the Lake of Fire. I believe some folks may actually find their names recorded there-in. I think there will be surprises and it won’t all go according to conventional teaching. Yet it will go according to scripture...if any person has their name recorded in the Lamb’s book...then they are with God forever!

Issue one: After Judas committed suicide, the disciples sought to replace him as the twelfth member of their group with one of two other men. They wanted the now resurrected and ascended Jesus to tell them what to do.

Peter taking charge drew lots to decide.(an OT way under the Law.) They were supposed to wait for the day of Pentecost.(Paul was obviously Jesus' choice, Matthias was never heard from again.)

Issue two: Peter himself was called Satan by Jesus. Matthew 16:23

But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

I quit reading at this point.

This Bent Crucifix is “… a sinister symbol, used by Satanists in the sixth century, that had been revived at the time of Vatican Two. This was a bent or broken cross, on which was displayed a repulsive and distorted figure of Christ, which the black magicians and sorcerers of the Middle Ages had made use of to represent the Biblical term ‘Mark of the Beast’. Yet, not only Paul VI, but his successors, the two John-Pauls, carried that object and held it up to be revered by crowds, who had not the slightest idea that it stood for anti-Christ.”

Almost all Orthodox Jews--with the exception of a few liberals, rationalists, and theistic evolutionists--believe in gilgul neshamot (reincarnation), though this doctrine is very different from the eastern hindu/bddhist concept of being reborn until one reaches non-existence (wow that's silly).

The afterlife is a more esoteric topic in Judaism than in chrstianity, and the TaNa"Kh itself says almost nothing about it . . . on the surface. It is one of the matters at a very deep level and elucidated in the Oral Torah.

And though I realize this is a totally futile attempt to clear things up, it is not "occult" as that word is usually used, and the late Lubavitcher Rebbe most certainly was not an occultist.

Indeed!

I’ve always thought that the mountain of the Transfiguration was Mt. Hermon - which is supposedly a cursed domain since The Watchers of the Nations came down there and rebelled against God. In Matthew 17 Jesus mentions Elijah coming first. Seems to suggest he’ll be one of them.

What an amazing time we live in.

I wouldn’t discount anything being possible during the 7 year Tribulation.

We are warned over & over by Christ Himself to not be deceived. And it’s rampant everywhere right now.

Ironic you mention John the Baptist - I was going over Matthew 17 regarding the Transfiguration just a few minutes ago - and there his name is mentioned with Elijah. Good points!

Thanks for the info, the issue is though that when the crowds saw such a symbol carried in public why do many see it more as the suffering Christ went through while those popes who bandy that symbol about meant it as a laugh behind their backs gaslighting move? Is it something that the Spirit of God does to blunt the mockery of the leaders of Christ’s suffering?

Truth to tell, like when Moses’s rod with the serpent had to be destroyed, even symbols that were meant to be good and wholesome, depictions of things Holy ought not be created and carried about anyway. At some point I believe some of these things run afoul of God’s commandments against idols and graven images.

Why not at least some sort of staff with a depiction of an empty grave?

...the issue is though that when the crowds saw such a symbol carried in public why do many see it more as the suffering Christ went through while those popes who bandy that symbol about meant it as a laugh behind their backs gaslighting move?

They see in these Pagan symbols exactly what Satan, through the Catholic church, tells them to see and believe. Most will be fooled when the end comes. Same for most Protestants. They don’t have a clue. They will lose their eternal life because they think they are smarter than Satan and know what the truth is. Big mistake to underestimate him.

What do Christians practice on Easter, rolling bunny eggs ...

At my house, we go to Easter Mass and then come home to chocolate and/or (usually) whatever we gave up for Lent. Except that one year when I gave up complaining for Lent.

Oh, no doubt that Satan will indeed be the source of the Antichrist's power but Satan and the Antichrist are not the same person. Satan is a fallen angel and has no physical body - certainly not a human one. But demons CAN indwell people and animals. At the beginning of the Great Tribulation Satan will indwell (possess) the Antichrist becoming the source of his power. (Rev. 13:4 ) Then in Rev. 19:19-20 we read that the Antichrist and false prophet are captured and thrown into the Lake of Fire, while in Rev. 20:1-3 Satan is captured and confined for 1000 years. Two different beings - Antichrist and Satan.

You seemed to be saying that you knew WHO the Antichrist is right now. It will be a man who will rise to global power and take over. That human man, I believe, IS alive today and not as yet reveal. It may be closer than we think.

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