III.       Four Strands of the Antichrist Tradition

A.        Chaos Myth

1.         The mythic conflict between the forces of chaos and order.

2.         The OT picks up on the Babylonian Chaos Myth as seen in the many references to God prevailing over primeval forces that threaten creation, such as the dragon, the sea, the deep, chaos, formlessness and void, sea monsters, Rahab, Leviathan, Behemoth, and the Serpent (Gen 1:1-2; 3:1-15; Ps 74:3-8; 89:11 (10); 104:6-9; Job 3:8; 7:12; 26:12; 40:25-41:26; Isa 27:1; 30:7; 51:9; Ezek 29:3; 38:1-3; Hab 3:8, 15; Amos 9:3).

3.         Several STJ passages pick up on this (2 Bar 14; 29).

4.         So does the book of Revelation (Rev 12:1-17; 13:1-11; 16:13; 20:2).

B.        Cosmic Battle

1.         There is a Cosmic Battle between God and Satan, the leader of the spiritual forces of evil.

2.         The OT speaks of a cosmic battle between God and Satan, Gog and Magog, and the Prince of the Persia (Job 1:6; Ezek. 38:1-3; 39:1, 6; Dan. 10:13; Zech. 3:1).

3.         Many STJ passages pick up and develop this cosmic battle, identifying the leader of the forces of evil as Satan, the devil, demons, Beliar/Belial, Azazel, Melchiresha, the Spirit of Error, the Spirit of Deceit and of Beliar, the Watchers, the Angel of Darkness, the Ruler of Error, the Angel of Malevolence, the Angels of destruction, and the Prince of the Realm of Wickedness (Isaiah_A 1:9; Lives 4:7; 17:2; Moses 8; 10:7; T. Dan 5:6-11; 7:3; T. Levi 3:3; 18:12; T. Simeon 2:7; T. Judah 19:4; 20:1-2; 25:3; Sibyl 2:167-169; 3:63-74; 1 Enoch 6-16; 90:13-16; Jubil 1:20; PsSol 17:23-27; Wis 2:24; CD 4:12-19; 5:17-19; 8:1-2; 12:2-3; 19:13-14; 1QS 1:16-24; 2:4-10; 2:19; 3:17-21; 4:18-19; 9:11; 1QM 1:1-2; 1:1-15; 4:1-2; 11:7-8; 13:1-12; 14:8-10; 18:1-3; 11QMelch 2:12-13).

4.         The NT also speaks of Satan, the devil, Belial, the evil one, the spirit of error, the spirit that is at work in the sons of disobedience, the mystery of lawlessness, deceitful spirits, the spirit of Antichrist, unclean spirits, and the rulers, authorities, cosmic powers, and spiritual forces of evil (Eph 2:2; 6:12; 2 Cor 6:15; 2 Thess 2; 1 Tim 4:1-2; 1 John 4:1-6; Jude 8-19).

5.         Revelation picks up this theme (Rev 2:9, 10, 13, 24; 3:9; 12:9; 20:2, 7, 10).

C.        End Time Tyrant

1.         A human political or military figure opposes God and oppresses his people.

2.         This includes such OT figures as Pharaoh, Assyria, Babylon, Antiochus IV Epiphanies, the abomination that causes desolation, the little horn, the bold-faced king, all nations, Cain, and Korah (Ps 2; 74:3-8; Ezek 38:1-3; 39:1, 6; Dan 8:13; 8:22-25; 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Zech 14).

3.         Most of the STJ passages that speak of a tyrant that oppresses God’s people refer to a historical figure, such as Antiochus IV Epiphanies, Pompey, Caligula, Nero, Titus or Nero Redivivus (Sibyl 4:119-139; 5:28-34; 5:93-110; 5:361-370; 1 Enoch 37-71; 90:13-16; Mart of Isa; 1 Macc 1:54; 2 Macc 9:12; 2 Esdras 13:5).

4.         The DSS refer mainly to the final apocalyptic battle with the Kittim, the Romans (1QM 1:1-15; 4:1-2; 11:7-8; 13:1-12; 11QMelch 2:12-13).

5.         The NT speaks of this figure as the Abomination that Causes Desolation, the Man of Lawlessness, Gog and Magog, and Korah (Matt 24; Mark 13; Luke 22; 2 Thess 2).

6.         Revelation applies this theme to the beast from the sea (Rev 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 19, 20).

D.        False Prophet

1.         The False Prophet deceives the nations or the people of God, leads them astray to follow after the Antichrist or foreign gods, and entices them to turn from God and his Law to practice evil.

2.         The OT speaks of false prophets who deceive Israel (Gen 3:1-5; Deut 13: 1-7; 18:9-22; Num 22-24; 31; 1 Kings 22:21-23; Dan 8:22-25).

3.         The False Prophet is picked up in STJ either through historical figures who deceived Israel, such as Jason and Menelaus, the Man of Mockery, the Sprayer of Lies, the Wicked Priest, the Man of the Lie, and Yannes and Yambres (Josephus, Antiquities 2:293-349; CD 1:14-2:1; 1QpHab 1:12-13; 1QpHab 2:1-10; 1QpHab 10:9-13; 1Q14 f8_ 10:4-5), or through evil spirits who lead men astray (T. Levi 3:3; T. Simeon 2:7; T. Judah 19:4; 20:1-2; 25:3; Sibyl 2:167-169; 3:63-74; 5:28-34; CD 4:12-19).

4.         The NT speaks of such figures as false prophets, false Christs, the Antichrist, Antichrists, deceivers, the Man of Lawlessness, doctrines of demons, false teachers, and Balaam (Matt 24; Mark 13; Luke 22; 2 Thess 2; 1 Tim 4:1-2; 1 John 2:18-27; 4:1-6; 2 John 7; 2 Peter 2:1-3; Jude 8-19).

5.         Revelation applies this theme to the beast from the land, the false prophet (Rev 13, 16, 19, 20).