Part Three: The Biblical Perspective of Government
Chapter 11: End Times Governments
The Bible describes two global empires that will rise during the end times. One will be ruled by the “Antichrist” during the seven-year tribulation period, and the other will be ruled by Jesus Christ during the millennium period that follows the tribulation. The Antichrist rules through the power of Satan and will be the ultimate tyrant of history, while Christ will reign as the perfect civil ruler through the authority that He has been given by God the Father. In this brief study we will focus our attention on the ways in which these two rulers match the traits of tyrants and civil rulers discussed in chapters 3 and 5.
Antichrist
The Antichrist’s tyrannical government will be based on the lie that man can become a god and thereby determine his own law (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13). It receives its authority and power from Satan (Revelation 13) while claiming to be the source of its own power (Revelation 13:4-5; 12-14). Its primary purpose is to carry out Satan’s war against God, His Messiah, and His people (Revelation 12:17; 13:6-7; 19:19). It accomplishes this by destroying the existing social order in order to establish a new social system (Revelation 13:15-17; Daniel 7:25), securing the freedom and prosperity of those who live according to his lies (Revelation 13:16-17; Daniel 11:30), and punishing good (Revelation 13:7).
| Antichrist's Tyrannical Conduct/Characteristics | Passage |
|---|---|
| Rebel | Daniel 7:24 |
| Wise in his own eyes | Daniel 7:25 |
| Rejects God’s law | Daniel 11:30-33 |
| Godless | Daniel 11:32 |
| Transgressor and sinner | Daniel 11:32 |
| Adversary and foe of God | Daniel 11:36 |
| Exceedingly proud | Daniel 11:36-37 |
| Forsakes the Lord | Daniel 11:37 |
| Loves rewards | Daniel 11:38, 43 |
| Loves a bribe | Daniel 11:39 |
| Thief | Daniel 11:41-43 |
| Lacks understanding | Daniel 11:44-45; Revelation 17:11 |
| Immature | Revelation 13:3-4, 11-15 |
| Does not fear God | Revelation 13:6 |
| Serves self before justice | Revelation 13:5 |
| Does not respect man | Revelation 13:15-17 |
| Alcoholic | Revelation 17:2, 6; 18:3 |
| Values pleasure over productivity | Revelation 17-18 |
| Heavily taxes his subjects | Revelation 13:15-17 |
| Makes his subjects his servants | Revelation 13:15-17 |
| Enacts evil statutes | Daniel 11:30-35 |
| Unjust in judgment | Daniel 11:30-35 |
| Robs the poor and righteous of justice/rights | Daniel 11:33-35; Revelation 13:15-17 |
| Murders | Daniel 11:33-35; Revelation 13:15 |
| Uses his power to glorify himself and accomplish evil | Revelation 13:5, 11-17 |
| Steals | Daniel 11:41-43 |
| Commits adultery | Revelation 17-18 |
| Swears falsely | Daniel 9:27 |
| Worships false gods | Daniel 11:37-38 |
| Practices a reign of violent terror | Daniel 11:33-35; Revelation 13:15 |
| The end justifies the means | Daniel 9:27 |
| Defaults on debts | Daniel 9:27 |
| Conquers other nations in anger and cruelty | Daniel 11:40-44 |
| Seeks pleasure | Revelation 17-18 |
| Oppresses his subjects for personal gain | Revelation 13:15-17 |
| Hinders his subjects’ prosperity | Revelation 13:15-17 |
| Calls evil good and good evil | Daniel 11:30-35 |
| Justifies the wicked for a bribe | Daniel 11:39 |
Christ
Christ’s millennial kingdom will be based on the truth that civil government comes from God and that only He is worthy to make law and receive worship (Revelation 11:15-17). Accordingly, His kingdom receives its authority from God (Revelation 22:3) and operates according to the purpose of Biblical government: facilitating the peace and quiet of society (Revelation 21:4), securing the rights and rewards of those who follow God’s laws (Revelation 11:18; 21:6-7), and punishing evil (Revelation 11:18; 21:8).
| Christ's Kingly Conduct/Characteristics | Passage |
|---|---|
| Accountable to God for His actions | John 8:42, 49-50 |
| Citizen | Revelation 12:5 |
| Male | Revelation 12:5 |
| Rejects wine | Revelation 18:8; 19:15 |
| One-woman man | Revelation 19:7-8 |
| Consistent and trustworthy | Revelation 19:11 |
| Righteous | Revelation 19:11 |
| Hates corrupt gain | Revelation 19:11; 21:27 |
| Intelligent, skilled and experienced | Revelation 19:11-15 |
| Distinguishes between right and wrong | Revelation 19:11-15 |
| Distinguished leader | Revelation 19:16 |
| Recognizes God’s Sovereignty | Revelation 19:16 |
| Good | Revelation 21:4-5 |
| Impartial | Revelation 21:6 |
| Just | Revelation 21:7-8 |
| Wise | Revelation 22:1-5 |