.Vladyka Agafangel
12/25 January 2025
Who will be the Antichrist?
The Antichrist will be accepted first by those who are waiting for him - under one form or another and for one reason or another. There are many such people who are waiting, but they all wait differently. That is why the Antichrist can be presented in various hypostases, or in their combination.
1.
The question is where, in what way, does the Antichrist appear before gaining power over the whole world? Jews are known to wait for the Savior, Moslems for their messiah - Mahdi (the last successor of Prophet Muhammad). Buddhists generally allow for numerous reincarnations of their "saints," similar to the modern "avatars." For papists, non-Orthodox and other ecumenists of a "Christian orientation," the role of the Antichrist has been claimed by the Pope himself since the early times of Christianity (since the Pope was the Antichrist initially, by his "role" — he allegedly took the place of Christ on earth), and the Pope, lately, seeks to be an authority among non-Christians as well — that is, everyone who takes it seriously. For atheists, the Antichrist may be a leader capable of bringing order to the whole world. He can begin his activity as the president of any country or, even, a superpower (say, the United States), he can begin with any high position —at least, even with the Secretary General of the Communist Party of China (the general secretaries of the CPSU still dream of world domination, in the USSR, Stalin was an exemplary predecessor of the Antichrist, although he didn't succeed in taking over the whole world, he did get a "sixth of the earth"). Thus, the first period of the appearance of the Antichrist will be his coming to power in some significant and known field—political, social, or religious.
2.
Having ascended to one of the peaks of diverse earthly power and, according to legend, having participated in the construction of the Jerusalem temple, the second period of the Antichrist's activity will begin — this outstanding, talented, charming and intelligent man will begin to expand his power and unite in himself the key powers of authority, that is, to seize power over the entire world and in all areas. If he, say, becomes the president of the USA, then gradually he must be recognized as the Messiah, Mahdi, avatar, etc., maybe even as the Pope, patriarch or even the Tsar of Moscow and so on (or, at least, all such leaders must express their approval and support to him). Ideally, the Antichrist will unite in himself the expectations of the coming of "someone great" for all peoples and religions. This is how Satan will be allowed to act. It is clear that for the ecumenical religion he will be God, or more precisely, the Man-God (like the deified pharaohs and Roman emperors, or, as in the Russian Federation now, “retroactively” the Soviet people almost deified the murderer and God-fighter Stalin, and before him, Lenin).
The Antichrist will come when a type of the Soviet-communist system will be established throughout the earth — defined as democracy, but in reality — dictatorship and total slavery — physical, electronic and spiritual. This new order will be led by the finally united secret world government, referred to as the Scriptures as the "gates of hell," which, led by the Antichrist, will fight the Church of Christ (Mt. 16.18) — that is, the last remnant of genuine faith on earth. But, as the Scripture says, even this demonic entity will not be able to completely destroy the true Church.
Just as the Jews did not recognize the Messiah despite all of their best efforts being directed towards it, so the Antichrist might not be recognized as Satan incarnate or "Christ," but simply as the greatest of the greatest.
3.
Gradually, his power and authority will be recognized by everyone in the whole world — the majority will accept his authority voluntarily (seven kings voluntarily, but three kings he will need to conquer — see. Daniel 7.8,20,24; Rev 17.13). After this, the third period will come — the actual kingdom of the Antichrist. This is when the terrible persecution against the real Christians will begin. During the reign of Antichrist, there will be some magician, a sorcerer, who will imitate "miracles in the air" (kind of like Musk under Trump), and there will be two accusers of Antichrist — Elijah and Enoch. The reign of the Antichrist will last for three years and will end with the Second Coming of Christ and the end of this world.
* * * *
Now about how we should live in the times of the Antichrist.
Communism was at first "destroyed" (in the USSR - the state of Antichrist's successive forerunners), and then "reborn" everywhere — the wound of the communist "beast," as we see it today, healed (see. Acts 13.3). But its rebirth is no longer in the form of a Stalinist dictatorship, but rather in the form of the controlled global digital concentration camp. The Antichrist will appear when the whole world is suffering in apostasy. The Antichrist will then appear under the guise of a "liberator" as if unexpectedly, as a "savior" for all nations and religions — all of "civilized" mankind will be on his side, not knowing who he really is. Everyone will recognize him as their savior and leader, the messiah or prophet. Of course, there will still appear to be political struggle, but only as a pretense, — the internal politics will be completely united. The small handful of those people who do not accept Antichrist as the world's savior-leader will be considered enemies of humanity, — "mentally ill fanatics".
If back then in the USSR a person's identity, — a person's very existence — was certified by a paper passport, (so lived many catacombs); then in these days a person's identity/existence will depend on being registered in a database with a personal "biometrics" and who has received his number in that database. Nobody will be able to hide — he will be found even if he does not have an identification document. Our destiny as the last Christians, I suppose, is to live openly, but to pray in a narrow circle, hiding our faith from those around us (as was in the USSR). Of course, we can't talk about any missionary work. And you'll have to hide, I think, not in sketes or catacombs — such are easy to find nowadays (back in the time of Khrushchev, helicopters searched for and shot in the taiga, and today during the pandemic, they tracked crowds of people going to church with the help of drones). It will be easier to hide in cities, among people, where it is much easier to hide, without revealing ourselves to others - without using, or extremely limiting the use, of the Internet and telephone communication (during the times of the USSR, for example, the bishop was always called "grandfather" in correspondence, and the secret churches were called "paseka"). Besides, in recent times believers are unlikely to be killed as communists did, they are likely to be in one way or another tracked, isolated and mechanically "corrected" in their minds (brainwashed by various means). Thus, such actions of the Antichrist for the masses will be consideredas the greatest good and virtue. As the only true will of the purest "angel of light" (see. 2Cor 11:14).
Now, when there is not a single nation living compactly on the territory of its own state, with its own individual national culture, tradition and religion (no nation has any indivuality — “international” and “universal human values” have already been thoroughly implanted everywhere) — this allows for a national and spiritual leader to step in, to appear on the world stage (since, as has been said, there are no more nationalities, peoples and states in their classical form and understanding). The Antichrist cannot reign in some isolated space (country, religion, people), he can only be a world leader.
It is safe to assume that since Christ came out of the Jewish people and enriched all the nations by His grace, then the Antichrist will come "from the outside" (uncircumcised, but whose origin will be somehow connected to the tribe of Dan — now this is all too common), but he will particularly exalt the Jewish people.
* * * *
Of all nations and religions, only true Christians are not waiting for some "deity" or "genius" to come to the earth to fix all the problems. Instead we are waiting for the end of this world and the Second Coming of the Man of God, Christ. This is why we are opposing the "new world order" and why we object to globalism — Genuine Christianity today is discredited and purposefully persecuted everywhere. Of course, we must, as the army of Christ, live to defend Gospel values in a fallen world, but we have no hope that these values will prevail in this world, we have no cause, according to Saint Ignatius:
"The apostasy is allowed by God: do not try to stop it with your feeble hand."
We cannot deviate from the Orthodox faith, but we cannot let ourselves be deceived by a hope for the victory of Orthodoxy in this world. We must, for the Glory of God, do what we can do, being in our place — including to fight while we have the strength for the Orthodox faith and statehood, for the sake of the salvation [to save ourselves and to encourage our brethren to stay steadfast.] To stand firm until the end of our days in our Lord Jesus Christ — this alone is our only final destiny.
We must, without deceiving ourselves, admit the obvious — the Orthodox, sovereign, Russian (and no other) people, as a single and united people, capable of rebirth, no longer exists. This time has passed — abroad, Orthodox Russians have died out, and on the territory of the former USSR — they were unable to overcome the Soviet essence in themselves. Therefore, we, Orthodox Christians, have no one to expect, neither in the near nor in the distant future — neither a leader, nor a tsar, nor even a wise ruler, since behind all these expectations lies a very dangerous, deadly spiritual charm and demonic temptation. With a good purpose, none of the great leaders and prophets will descend on our sinful and God-cursed land.
Orthodox people remain to wait for only Christ, who shines over the whole world in His revealed Kingdom — surrounded by Heavenly Power and Heavenly Glory.
Yes, come our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen to that!
+ Metropolitan Agafangel
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2581117155514395/posts/3534621483497286/
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